High School

A chipmunk with a mass of 2 kg sits on a branch that is 10 m off the ground. What is its gravitational potential energy? The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 [tex]m/s^2[/tex].

A. 240 J
B. 196 J
C. 20 J
D. 532 J

Answer :

To find the gravitational potential energy of the chipmunk, we use the formula for gravitational potential energy:

[tex]\[
\text{Potential Energy} = \text{mass} \times \text{gravity} \times \text{height}
\][/tex]

In this problem:

- The mass of the chipmunk is 2 kg.
- The height of the branch off the ground is 10 meters.
- The acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s².

Now, let's plug the values into the formula:

[tex]\[
\text{Potential Energy} = 2 \, \text{kg} \times 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \times 10 \, \text{m}
\][/tex]

Calculating this will give:

[tex]\[
\text{Potential Energy} = 2 \times 9.8 \times 10 = 196 \, \text{Joules}
\][/tex]

Therefore, the gravitational potential energy of the chipmunk is 196 Joules. The correct answer is B. 196 J.