Final answer:
The gravitational potential energy of an object increases with its mass due to the relationship UG = mgh. More mass results in more potential energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you change the mass of the object, the gravitational potential energy (UG) of the object will change as well. This is because gravitational potential energy is calculated using the formula UG = mgh, where m is the mass of the object, g is the acceleration due to gravity (which is approximately 9.81 m/s2 near the surface of the Earth), and h is the height above a reference level. If you increase the mass (m), the gravitational potential energy will increase, meaning there is more potential energy. Conversely, if you decrease the mass, there will be less potential energy.
For instance, raising a 0.500-kg mass from a cuckoo clock by 1.00 m will increase its gravitational potential energy by the amount calculated using the formula mgh. If the mass were 1.00 kg instead, raised to the same height, the change in gravitational potential energy would be double because of the increased mass.