Answer:
The potential energy of an object is calculated using the formula: potential energy = mass × acceleration due to gravity × height. In this case, we can calculate the potential energy of the cat using the given information.
Step 1: Convert the weight of the cat from Newtons (N) to kilograms (kg). The weight of an object in Newtons is equal to its mass in kilograms multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²). So, we can calculate the mass of the cat using the formula: mass = weight ÷ acceleration due to gravity.
Given: weight of the cat = 20 N
Acceleration due to gravity = 9.8 m/s²
Using the formula: mass = weight ÷ acceleration due to gravity
mass = 20 N ÷ 9.8 m/s² = 2.04 kg (approximately)
Step 2: Calculate the potential energy using the formula: potential energy = mass × acceleration due to gravity × height.
Given: height = 5 m
Acceleration due to gravity = 9.8 m/s²
mass = 2.04 kg (approximately)
Using the formula: potential energy = mass × acceleration due to gravity × height
potential energy = 2.04 kg × 9.8 m/s² × 5 m = 100 J (approximately)
Therefore, the potential energy of the cat sitting in the pet crate 5 m off the ground is approximately 100 Joules (J).