Question

A 2.2 kg ball is attached to a ceiling by a string. The distance from the ceiling to the center of the ball is 1.06 m, and the height of the room is 3.00 m. What is the gravitational potential energy associated with the ball relative to the ceiling?

Answer 1

Answer:

$U=-22.85J$

Explanation:

The potential energy associated with a body (m) located at a given height (h) above a reference point is defined as:

$U=mgh$

At the reference point the potential energy is zero. In this case the body is below the reference point (the ceiling), therefore, the value of h is negative:

$U=2.2kg*9.8\frac{m}{s^2}*(-1.06m)\\U=-22.85J$