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 that is 3 meters high, we use the formula for gravitational potential energy:

[tex]\[ \text{Potential Energy} = m \cdot g \cdot h \][/tex]

where:
- [tex]\( m \)[/tex] is the mass, which is 25 kg.
- [tex]\( g \)[/tex] is the acceleration due to gravity, approximately 9.8 [tex]\(\text{m/s}^2\)[/tex].
- [tex]\( h \)[/tex] is the height, which is 3 meters.

Now, we plug in the given values:

[tex]\[ \text{Potential Energy} = 25 \cdot 9.8 \cdot 3 \][/tex]

Calculating step-by-step:

1. First, multiply the mass by gravity:
- [tex]\( 25 \times 9.8 = 245 \)[/tex]

2. Next, multiply the result by the height:
- [tex]\( 245 \times 3 = 735 \)[/tex]

So, the potential energy of the bicycle at the top of the hill is [tex]\( 735 \)[/tex] Joules.

Therefore, the correct answer is: 735 J.