Three identical cars are driving along the highway when they come to a traffic jam. Car A gets stopped at the bottom of a hill. Car B stops half way down the hill. Car C is stopped at the top of the hill. Which car has the greatest potential energy and why?(1 point)

Question

Responses

All of the cars have the same potential enegy because they are all affected by gravity in the same way.
All of the cars have the same potential enegy because they are all affected by gravity in the same way.

Car A has the most potential energy because it is already at the bottom of the hill and will have less distance to drive when the traffic jam clears.
Car A has the most potential energy because it is already at the bottom of the hill and will have less distance to drive when the traffic jam clears.

Car C has the most potential energy because potential energy increases with height and it is at the top of the hill.
Car C has the most potential energy because potential energy increases with height and it is at the top of the hill.

Car B has the most potential energy because being half way down the hill gives it an equal balance of kinetic and potential energy.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

Car C has the most potential energy because potential energy increases with height and it is at the top of the hill.

Potential energy is determined by the height of an object from a reference point (typically the ground) and can be calculated using the formula:

\[ \text{Potential Energy} = mgh \]

where \( m \) is the mass, \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity, and \( h \) is the height above the reference point. Since Car C is at the top of the hill, it has the greatest height and thus the greatest potential energy compared to Car A (at the bottom) and Car B (halfway down).