Question

An owl weighing 40N is sitting in a tree waiting to dive down to catch a mouse. If the owl's potential energy is 800 J with respect to the ground below, at what height above the ground is the owl?
h=PE/m

A. 81.63 m

B. 20 m

C. 2.04 m

Answer 1

Answer:

h = 20 m

Explanation:

Gravitational Potential Energy

Gravitational potential energy (GPE) is the energy stored in an object due to its vertical position or height in a gravitational field.

It can be calculated with the equation:

U=m.g.h

Where m is the mass of the object, h is the height with respect to a fixed reference, and g is the acceleration of gravity or $9.8 m/s^2$.

The weight of an object of mass m is:

W = m.g

Thus, the GPE is:

U=W.h

Solving for h:

$\displaystyle h=\frac{U}{W}$

The weight of the owl is W=40 N and its GPE is U=800 J.

$\displaystyle h=\frac{800}{40}=20$

h = 20 m