High School

What is the potential energy of a 25 kg bicycle resting at the top of a hill 3 m high?

(Formula: [tex]PE = mgh[/tex])

A. 75 J
B. 735 J
C. 245 J
D. 37.8 J

Answer :

To find the potential energy of a 25 kg bicycle resting at the top of a 3 m high hill, you can use the formula for potential energy:

[tex]\[ \text{Potential Energy (PE)} = m \times g \times h \][/tex]

where:
- [tex]\( m \)[/tex] is the mass (25 kg),
- [tex]\( g \)[/tex] is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately [tex]\( 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)[/tex]),
- [tex]\( h \)[/tex] is the height (3 m).

Now, let's calculate:

1. Multiply the mass by the gravitational acceleration:
[tex]\[
25 \, \text{kg} \times 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 = 245 \, \text{N}
\][/tex]
Here, we are finding the force due to gravity, which is equal to the weight of the bicycle.

2. Multiply the result by the height to find potential energy:
[tex]\[
245 \, \text{N} \times 3 \, \text{m} = 735 \, \text{J}
\][/tex]

Therefore, the potential energy of the bicycle is 735 Joules.

Among the choices given, the correct answer is 735 J.