Final answer:
A mountain climber's ascent transforms motion into potential energy due to the increase in height, and this gravitational potential energy increases without a change in kinetic energy if the speed is constant.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a mountain climber hikes up a mountain, they work against gravity and by moving higher above the ground level, the hiker is changing their motion into potential energy. As a climber ascends, their gravitational potential energy increases because potential energy is a function of the height above a reference level. This energy is stored due to the climber's position and can be converted to kinetic energy if the climber were to descend.
For instance, if a hiker climbs to the summit of Great Blue Hill, which is 147 m above its base, they would acquire a significant amount of gravitational potential energy as compared to their energy at the base. At a constant speed, there is no change in kinetic energy during the ascent, however, the potential energy steadily increases with altitude. This concept is core to the physics of work, energy, and power in humans.