Question

The table shows information about four objects resting at the top of a hill.

A 3-column table with 4 rows titled Four Objects at Rest on a Hill. The first column labeled Object has entries W, X, Y, Z. The second column labeled Mass (kilograms) has entries 50, 35, 62, 24. The third column labeled Potential Energy (Joules) has entries 980, 1029, 1519, 1176.
Which object is on the tallest hill?

W
X
Y

Answer 1

Z

Reason: height h = PE/(m g). Using g = 9.8 m/s²,
- W: h = 980/(50·9.8) = 2.0 m
- X: h = 1029/(35·9.8) = 3.0 m
- Y: h = 1519/(62·9.8) = 2.5 m
- Z: h = 1176/(24·9.8) = 5.0 m

Z is highest.