Question

What is the gravitational potential energy (PE) of a 61.2 kg person standing on the roof of a 10-story building (each story is 2.5 m high)?

a) 0 J
b) 30,600 J
c) 61,200 J
d) 15,300 J

Answer 1

The gravitational potential energy of a 61.2 kg person standing on the roof of a 10-story building is calculated using the formula PE = mgh, resulting in 15,300 J, which corresponds to answer choice d).

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks for the calculation of the gravitational potential energy (PE) of a person standing on the roof of a building. The formula to calculate PE in the context of gravity is PE = mgh, where 'm' is the mass, 'g' is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s²), and 'h' is the height above the reference point.

We can calculate the gravitational potential energy as follows:

• Mass (m) of the person: 61.2 kg
• Height (h) of the building: 10 stories × 2.5 m/story = 25 m
• Acceleration due to gravity (g): 9.81 m/s²

PE = mgh = 61.2 kg × 9.81 m/s² × 25 m = 15,300 J.

Therefore, the correct answer is d) 15,300 J.