Final answer:
The potential energy of a 2 kg ball at the top of a 78 m hill is calculated using the formula for gravitational potential energy, yielding approximately 1528.8 Joules, with the closest answer choice being (C) 1560 J.
Step-by-step explanation:
The potential energy (PE) of an object is calculated using the formula PE = m * g * h, where m is the mass (in kg), g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximated as 9.8 m/s² on Earth's surface), and h is the height (in meters) above the reference point. In the case of the ball at the top of a 78 m high hill with a mass of 2 kg, the potential energy can be calculated as follows:
PE = 2 kg * 9.8 m/s² * 78 m = 1528.8 J
While none of the answer choices exactly match this number due to rounding or potential typos, the closest correct response is (C) 1560 J, assuming the slight difference is due to rounding the acceleration due to gravity to 10 m/s², which is a common approximation used for simplified calculations.