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 at the top of a 3-meter high hill, we can use the formula for potential energy:

[tex]\[ \text{Potential Energy (PE)} = m \times g \times h \][/tex]

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

Now, let's calculate the potential energy:

1. Multiply the mass ([tex]\( m \)[/tex]) by the gravitational acceleration ([tex]\( g \)[/tex]):
[tex]\( 25 \, \text{kg} \times 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 = 245 \, \text{N} \)[/tex] (Newtons).

2. Next, multiply the result by the height ([tex]\( h \)[/tex]):
[tex]\( 245 \, \text{N} \times 3 \, \text{m} = 735 \, \text{J} \)[/tex] (Joules).

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