What is the formula for gravitational potential energy?
Practice Questions
Q1
What is the formula for gravitational potential energy?
PE = mgh
PE = 1/2 mv²
PE = mv
PE = mgh²
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is the formula for gravitational potential energy?
Step 1: Understand that gravitational potential energy (PE) is the energy an object has because of its position above the ground.
Step 2: Know that the formula to calculate gravitational potential energy is PE = mgh.
Step 3: Identify what each letter in the formula means: 'm' is the mass of the object in kilograms (kg), 'g' is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s² on Earth), and 'h' is the height of the object above the ground in meters (m).
Step 4: To find the gravitational potential energy, multiply the mass (m) by the acceleration due to gravity (g) and the height (h).
