Question

"On top of a 3 m tall shelf sits a lonely 4.5 kg toy snake. How much gravitational potential energy (GPE) does this snake have if the shelf is on Earth, where the acceleration due to gravity (g) is 9.8 m/s²?

Answer 1

The gravitational potential energy of the toy snake on the 3 m tall shelf is 132.3 joules.

Step-by-step explanation:

The gravitational potential energy (GPE) of an object can be calculated using the equation G.P.E. = mgh, where m is the mass in kg, g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s² on Earth), and h is the height in meters. In this case, the toy snake on top of the shelf has a mass of 4.5 kg and is 3 m above the ground. Therefore, the GPE of the snake can be calculated as:

G.P.E. = 4.5 kg × 9.8 m/s² × 3 m = 132.3 joules