Question

Assuming the starting height is 0.0 m, calculate the potential energy of the cart after it has been elevated to a height of 0.5 m above the starting location. please show your work.

Answer 1

The potential energy is most often referred to as the "energy at rest" and is dependent on the elevation of an object. This can be calculated through the equation,

     E = mgh

where E is the potential energy, m is the mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height. In this item, we are not given with the mass of the cart so we assume it to be m. The force is therefore,

   E = m(9.8 m/s²)(0.5 m) = 4.9m

Hence, the potential energy is equal to 4.9m.