Question

A 1.65 m tall student throws a 0.055 kg paper airplane directly vertically into the sky. It ends up traveling 12.3 m straight upwards. What is the potential energy of the paper airplane at the peak of its flight with respect to the ground?

a) 6.86 J
b) 9.81 J
c) 12.3 J
d) 15.2 J

Answer 1

The potential energy of the paper airplane at the peak of its flight with respect to the ground is 6.86 J.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the potential energy of the paper airplane at the peak of its flight, we can use the formula:

Potential Energy = mass x gravity x height

Given that the mass of the paper airplane is 0.055 kg, the acceleration due to gravity is 9.81 m/s^2, and the height is 12.3 m, we can plug in these values into the formula:

Potential Energy = 0.055 kg x 9.81 m/s^2 x 12.3 m = 6.86 J

Therefore, the potential energy of the paper airplane at the peak of its flight with respect to the ground is approximately 6.86 J, which corresponds to option a).