Which factors determine the potential energy of an object?

Question

A gravity and position
B weight and velocity
C mass and position
D mass and velocity

Answer 1

The correct answer is C: mass and position.

Potential energy, particularly gravitational potential energy, is determined by the mass of the object and its height (position) above a reference point. The formula for gravitational potential energy (PE) is given by:

\[ PE = mgh \]

where:

• \( m \) is the mass of the object,
• \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity, and
• \( h \) is the height above a reference level.