1. Potential energy is the energy that an object possesses due to its position or condition.
2. To calculate the potential energy, we need to know the mass (m), the acceleration due to gravity (g), and the height (h). In this case, the height is given as 40 centimeters. To calculate the potential energy, we multiply the mass (14 kg) by the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2) and the height (0.4 m): PE = 14 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 * 0.4 m = 54.88 Joules (rounded to two decimal places).
3. As the baseball falls, it will lose potential energy due to the decrease in height. This potential energy is converted into kinetic energy, which increases as the baseball gains speed during the fall.
4. To calculate the kinetic energy, we need to know the mass (m) and the velocity (v). In this case, the mass is given as 14 kilograms and the velocity is given as 2.7 meters per second. To calculate the kinetic energy, we use the formula KE = 1/2 * 14 kg * (2.7 m/s)^2 = 64.71 Joules (rounded to two decimal places).
5. An object's potential energy depends on its mass, the acceleration due to gravity, and its height.