College

What is the potential energy of a 25 kg bicycle resting at the top of a hill 3 m high?

(Formula: [tex]$PE = mgh$[/tex])

A. 75 J
B. 735 J
C. 245 J
D. 37.8 J

Answer :

To find the potential energy of a 25 kg bicycle resting at the top of a hill 3 meters high, we can use the formula for potential energy:

[tex]\[ PE = m \times g \times h \][/tex]

where:
- [tex]\( PE \)[/tex] is the potential energy,
- [tex]\( m \)[/tex] is the mass in kilograms,
- [tex]\( g \)[/tex] is the acceleration due to gravity, approximately [tex]\( 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)[/tex],
- [tex]\( h \)[/tex] is the height in meters.

Let's plug in the given values:

1. The mass of the bicycle ([tex]\( m \)[/tex]) is 25 kg.
2. The acceleration due to gravity ([tex]\( g \)[/tex]) is [tex]\( 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)[/tex].
3. The height ([tex]\( h \)[/tex]) is 3 meters.

Now, substitute these values into the formula:

[tex]\[ PE = 25 \, \text{kg} \times 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \times 3 \, \text{m} \][/tex]

Calculating this gives:

[tex]\[ PE = 735 \, \text{Joules} \][/tex]

Therefore, the potential energy of the bicycle is [tex]\( 735 \, \text{J} \)[/tex]. The correct answer is 735 J.