College

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

(Formula: PE = mgh)

A. 75 J
B. 725 J
C. 245 J
D. 378 J

Answer :

Sure! Let's find the potential energy of a 25 kg bicycle resting at the top of a hill 3 meters high using the formula for potential energy:

The formula for potential energy (PE) is:

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

where:
- [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.

Now, let's plug in the given values:

1. Mass ([tex]\( m \)[/tex]) = 25 kg
2. Height ([tex]\( h \)[/tex]) = 3 m
3. Gravity ([tex]\( g \)[/tex]) = 9.8 m/s²

Substitute these values into the formula:

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

Calculate the result:

[tex]\[ \text{PE} = 25 \times 9.8 \times 3 = 735 \][/tex]

So, the potential energy of the bicycle is 735 joules.