Final answer:
Both Jared and Clay have the same potential energy despite Jared being twice as heavy as Clay, because he only ascends halfway up. The potential energy for both is calculated as mass times gravity times height, with Jared's double mass being offset by the half height.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding the question of whether Jared or Clay has more potential energy when Jared stops halfway to the fourth floor and Clay makes it to the fourth floor without a problem, we need to consider the formula for potential energy in the context of gravity, which is Potential Energy (PE) = mass (m) × gravity (g) × height (h).
Since Jared is twice as heavy as Clay, his mass is double. However, he stops halfway compared to Clay's full ascent to the fourth floor. Assuming that 'halfway to the fourth floor' means halfway in height, then the height that Jared has achieved is half that of Clay's. Let's assume the height that Clay reached is H. Therefore, Jared's PE will be 2m × g × (H/2) while Clay's PE will be m × g × H. Simplifying Jared's equation, we get m × g × H for both Jared and Clay, showing that they have the same potential energy, since the factor of two in Jared's mass cancels out with the factor of one half in his height.
Therefore, the correct answer is C. Neither A and B, because both Jared and Clay have the same amount of potential energy when considering Jared's double mass and half the height reached compared to Clay.