College

The potential energy of an apple is 6.00 joules. The apple is 3.00 meters high. What is the mass of the apple?

Answer :

By rearranging the formula for gravitational potential energy, we calculate that the mass of the apple is approximately 0.2041 kg when its potential energy is 6.00 joules at a height of 3.00 meters.

To calculate the mass of the apple using its potential energy (PE) and the height (h) at which it is located, we use the formula for gravitational potential energy:

PE = mgh

where:

  • m is the mass in kilograms,
  • g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s² on Earth), and
  • h is the height in meters.

Given that PE = 6.00 Joules and h = 3.00 meters, we rearrange the formula to solve for m:

m = PE / (gh)

Substituting in the known values:

m = 6.00 J / (9.8 m/s² * 3.00 m) = 0.2041 kg

Therefore, the mass of the apple is approximately 0.2041 kg.