Question

A 42 kg seal at an amusement park slides from rest down a ramp into the pool below. The top of the ramp is 1.75 m higher than the surface of the water and the ramp is inclined at an angle of 35 degrees. What is the gravitational potential energy of the seal when it reaches the pool?

Answer 1

The gravitational potential energy of the seal at the surface of the pool is 720.3 Joules, calculated using the formula GPE = mgh.

Step-by-step explanation:

The gravitational potential energy (GPE) of an object can be calculated using the formula GPE = mgh, where m is the mass of the object, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s2 on Earth), and h is the height above the reference point. In this scenario, the seal has a mass of 42 kg and it slides from a height of 1.75 meters into the pool. Therefore, the gravitational potential energy of the seal at the pool surface, assuming the surface of the water is the reference point where potential energy is zero, can be calculated as follows:

GPE = mgh

GPE = (42 kg)(9.8 m/s2)(1.75 m)

GPE = 720.3 Joules

Thus, the gravitational potential energy of the seal when it reaches the pool is 720.3 Joules. Since the question asks for the potential energy at the pool surface, any kinetic energy the seal has from sliding down the ramp is not considered for this calculation.