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 25 kg bicycle resting at the top of a 3 m high hill, you can use the formula:

[tex]\[ \text{Potential Energy (PE)} = \text{mass} \times \text{gravity} \times \text{height} \][/tex]

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

Now, substitute the given values into the formula:

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

When you multiply these numbers, the calculation becomes:

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

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

The correct answer is [tex]\(735 \, \text{J}\)[/tex].