Question

Which of these would have the greatest potential energy?

A) A roller coaster at the top of a hill.
B) A roller coaster half-way up the hill.
C) A roller coaster half-way down the hill.
D) A roller coaster at the bottom of the hill.

Answer 1

A) A roller coaster at the top of the hill.

Answer 2

A. A roller coaster at the top of a hill

Step-by-step explanation:

Potential energy is one of the types of energy that an object can possess. It is the energy of an object with respect to its position. The potential energy (
`P_(e)`) of an object is the product of its mass(m), the acceleration due to gravity (g) and its height(h). This can be expressed as follows:

`P_(e)` = m x g x h

According to the equation above, it is evident that as the relative height of the object increases, its potential energy typically increases.

Therefore, having the roller coaster at the top of a hill makes the coaster attain the very highest height (compared to having it half-way up or down and at the bottom of the hill). At the top of a hill, the coaster would have the greatest potential energy.