A mass 'm' is lifted to a height 'h' above the Earth's surface. What is the chan
Practice Questions
Q1
A mass 'm' is lifted to a height 'h' above the Earth's surface. What is the change in gravitational potential energy?
mgh
mg(h + R)
mgR
0
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A mass 'm' is lifted to a height 'h' above the Earth's surface. What is the change in gravitational potential energy?
Step 1: Understand that gravitational potential energy is the energy an object has due to its position in a gravitational field.
Step 2: Identify the mass 'm' that is being lifted.
Step 3: Identify the height 'h' to which the mass is lifted above the Earth's surface.
Step 4: Recognize that 'g' is the acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.81 m/s² on Earth.
Step 5: Use the formula for change in gravitational potential energy, which is ΔU = mgh.
Step 6: Substitute the values of 'm', 'g', and 'h' into the formula to calculate the change in gravitational potential energy.
Gravitational Potential Energy – The energy stored in an object due to its position in a gravitational field, calculated as the product of mass, gravitational acceleration, and height.
Work-Energy Principle – The principle that the work done on an object is equal to the change in its energy, particularly relevant when lifting an object against gravity.
