Calculate the gravitational potential energy of a 10 kg mass located 5 meters above the surface of the earth?

Question

Calculate the gravitational potential energy of a 10 kg mass located 5 meters above the surface of the earth?

Answer 1

The formula for the gravitational potential energy near the earth's surface is given below.  Be sure all quantities are in the same system of units (SI).

 

PE = m·g·h

• PE = gravitational potential energy
• m = mass in kilograms = 10 kg
• g = acceleration due to gravity = 9.8 m/s²
• h = height in meters = 5 m

 

Plug in the numbers and compute the answer. The units are joules.