Question

The value of gravitational acceleration of a body on earth is 9.8m/s^2. The gravitational potential energy for a 1.00 kilogram object is found to be 12.5 joules. How high is this object above the ground, where PE=0?

Answer 1

The object is 1.2755 meters above the ground

Step-by-step explanation:

Recall the formula for gravitational potential energy for an object of mass "m" at a height "h" above the ground:

`PE=m\,*\,g\,*\,h`

In this case, since we are given the mass of the object and the object's potential energy, we can estimate the only unknown (height "h") from the formula shown above. Also since all units are given in the SI system, the result for the object's height will result in meters:

`PE=m\,*\,g\,*\,h\\12.5\,J=1.0\,kg\,*9.8\,(m)/(s^2) \,*\,h\\(12.5)/(9.8) \,meters= h\\h=1.2755\ meters`