High School

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 bicycle at the top of a hill, we can use the formula for gravitational potential energy, which is:

[tex]\[ \text{PE} = m \times g \times h \][/tex]

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

Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Identify the mass of the object, which is 25 kg in this case.

2. Determine the gravitational acceleration, which is [tex]\( 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)[/tex] on Earth's surface.

3. Measure or identify the height at which the object is located, which is 3 meters.

4. Use the potential energy formula:

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

5. Calculate the product:

[tex]\( \text{PE} = 25 \times 9.8 \times 3 \)[/tex]

[tex]\( \text{PE} = 735 \, \text{J} \)[/tex]

Therefore, the potential energy of the 25 kg bicycle resting at the top of the 3-meter-high hill is 735 Joules.