Final answer:
The potential energy gained by lifting a 30 kg weight 0.5 meters with an acceleration due to gravity of 9.81 m/s^2 is approximately 150 Joules, which corresponds to option C.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calculating Potential Energy Gained by Lifting a Weight
To find out how much potential energy is gained by lifting a weight, we can use the formula for gravitational potential energy, which is PE = mgh, where m is the mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height. Given a 30 kg weight lifted 0.5 meters with gravity at 9.81 m/s2, we calculate the potential energy as follows:
PE = 30 kg * 9.81 m/s2 * 0.5 m = 147.15 J
The answer that is closest to our calculation is C. 150 J. Thus, when a 30 kg weight is lifted 0.5 meters, it gains approximately 150 Joules of potential energy.