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 at the top of a 3 m high hill, 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 of the object (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 above the ground (in meters).

Let's break this down step-by-step:

1. Identify the mass (m):
The bicycle's mass is given as 25 kg.

2. Use the acceleration due to gravity (g):
Gravity is approximately [tex]\( 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)[/tex].

3. Identify the height (h):
The height of the hill is 3 m.

4. Plug these values into the formula:
[tex]\[ PE = 25 \, \text{kg} \times 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \times 3 \, \text{m} \][/tex]

5. Perform the multiplication:
- First, multiply the mass and gravity: [tex]\( 25 \times 9.8 = 245 \)[/tex].
- Then, multiply by the height: [tex]\( 245 \times 3 = 735 \)[/tex].

So, the potential energy is 735 J (joules).

Therefore, the correct answer is 735 J.