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    Examples of Potential Energy Problems

    Uploaded by

    Lolita Fornillos
    The document provides examples of solving problems involving potential energy using the equation Ep=mgh. It shows a box gaining 145J lifting 2.5m, a 63kg man climbing 3.6m and gaining 2268J, and a 0.8kg ball pulled up a slope gaining 1.6J over a 0.2m vertical distance. The examples demonstrate using the equation to calculate potential energy, height, or mass from the other given values.

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    Examples of Potential Energy Problems

    Uploaded by

    Lolita Fornillos
    509 views2 pages
    The document provides examples of solving problems involving potential energy using the equation Ep=mgh. It shows a box gaining 145J lifting 2.5m, a 63kg man climbing 3.6m and gaining 2268J, and a 0.8kg ball pulled up a slope gaining 1.6J over a 0.2m vertical distance. The examples demonstrate using the equation to calculate potential energy, height, or mass from the other given values.

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    potential energy

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    The document provides examples of solving problems involving potential energy using the equation Ep=mgh. It shows a box gaining 145J lifting 2.5m, a 63kg man climbing 3.6m and gaining 2268J, and a 0.8kg ball pulled up a slope gaining 1.6J over a 0.2m vertical distance. The examples demonstrate using the equation to calculate potential energy, height, or mass from the other given values.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    509 views2 pages

    Examples of Potential Energy Problems

    Uploaded by

    Lolita Fornillos
    The document provides examples of solving problems involving potential energy using the equation Ep=mgh. It shows a box gaining 145J lifting 2.5m, a 63kg man climbing 3.6m and gaining 2268J, and a 0.8kg ball pulled up a slope gaining 1.6J over a 0.2m vertical distance. The examples demonstrate using the equation to calculate potential energy, height, or mass from the other given values.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Examples of Potential Energy Problems

    Study these sample problems and the methods used to solve them.

    You might want to use this triangle to help you with questions
    involving potential energy.

    Ep

    m g h

    Example:
    A box has a mass of 5.8kg. The box is lifted from the garage floor
    and placed on a shelf. If the box gains 145J of Potential Energy (Ep),
    how high is the shelf?

    Solution:
    Use Ep = potential energy (Joules)
    Ep = mgh m = mass of box (kg)
    g = gravitational field strength (N/kg)
    h = difference in height (m)
    rearrange equation to find height

    Ep 145 145
    h= = = = 2.5
    mg 5.8x10 58

    The shelf is 2.5m high


    !
    Example:
    A man climbs on to a wall that is 3.6m high and gains 2268J of
    potential energy. What is the mass of the man?

    Solution:
    Use:
    Ep = mgh

    Rearrange to get an equation for m.

    Ep 2268 2268
    m= = = = 63
    gh 10x3.6 36

    So the mass of the man is 63kg.


    !

    Example:
    A 800g ball is pulled up a slope as shown in the diagram. Calculate
    the potential energy it gains.

    50cm

    20cm

    Solution:
    In potential energy problems we are only interested in
    vertical distances

    Use Ep = mgh, h = 20cm = 0.2m


    m = 800g = 0.8kg
    so
    Ep = 0.8 x 10 x 0.2 = 1.6J
    remember to change
    units!
    The ball gains 1.6J of potential energy

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