Activity 3. ENERGIZED! Directions: Encircle the picture with the higher potential energy and answer the question/s indicated therein. 1. Which has more potential energy, a fruit of a coconut tree with the height of 10 meters from the ground or a fruit of a coconut tree with the height of 5 meters from the ground? 2. A boulder at the top of the cliff is about to fall. Which possesses greater potential energy, a 10 kg boulder or a 5 kg boulder?
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Answer:
1. The higher up an object is the greater its gravitational potential energy. This is because a tree has more mass, so it needs to be given more gravitational potential energy to reach the same height. So a change in gravitational potential energy also depens on the mass of the object that is changing height.
2. Typically, the ground is considered to be a position of zero height since the gravitational potential energy of an object is directly proportional, a doubling of the height will result in a doubling of the gravitational potential energy.
3. Gravitational potential energy is determined by three factors: mass, gravity, and height. All three factors are directly proportional energy.