Final answer:
The gravitational potential energy of a 4 kg bowling ball 1 meter above the ground is 39.2 Joules, calculated using the formula GPE = mgh with g approximated as 9.8 m/s².
Step-by-step explanation:
The gravitational potential energy (GPE) of an object near the Earth's surface is calculated using the formula GPE = mgh, where m is mass in kilograms, g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximated as 9.8 m/s² on Earth, but often rounded to 10 m/s² for ease of calculation), and h is the height in meters. To find the gravitational potential energy of a 4 kg bowling ball 1 meter above the ground, we use the formula with the given values:
GPE = 4 kg × 9.8 m/s² × 1 m
This calculation results in a gravitational potential energy of 39.2 Joules. As kinetic energy (KE) and gravitational potential energy are forms of mechanical energy, the latter will convert into the former if the ball falls, reaching its maximum just before the ball hits the ground when all gravitational potential energy has been converted to kinetic energy.