A squirrel standing on a branch rolls an acorn toward a hole in the tree. To determine how the potential energy of the acorn changes in relation to the earth, the position of what two objects must be considered?

Question

a
The position of the squirrel on the branch and the earth
b
The position of the acorn and the width of the hole in the tree
c
The height of the branch and the position of the acorn
d
The position of the acorn and the earth

Answer 1

To determine how the potential energy of the acorn changes in relation to the earth, you must consider the position of the acorn and the earth. The potential energy of an object in a gravitational field depends on its height above a reference point, which is often taken to be the ground or the earth itself.

Thus, the correct answer is:

d. The position of the acorn and the earth