The potential energy possessed by an object of mass 8 kg when it is at a height of 5 m above the ground will be (g is acceleration due to gravity in SI unit):

The correct answer is 40 g J.

Key Points

• The formula to calculate potential energy (PE) is PE = mgh, where m is mass, g is acceleration due to gravity, and h is height.
• Given: Mass (m) = 8 kg, Height (h) = 5 m, and g (acceleration due to gravity) = 9.8 m/s².
• Substituting the values: PE = 8 kg * 9.8 m/s² * 5 m.
• Potential Energy = 392 Joules.
• Since g is represented as a factor, the potential energy in terms of g is 200 g J (where g = 9.8 m/s²).

Additional Information

• Potential Energy (PE):
  • Potential energy is the energy held by an object due to its position relative to other objects.
  • In the context of gravity, it's the energy possessed by an object due to its height above the ground.
• Gravitational Potential Energy:
  • It is a form of potential energy related to an object's height and the force of gravity acting on it.
  • Expressed as PE = mgh, where m is mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height above the reference point.
• Acceleration due to Gravity (g):
  • It is the acceleration that is imparted to objects due to the gravitational force of Earth.
  • Standard value of g is approximately 9.8 m/s² near the Earth's surface.
• SI Units:
  • The International System of Units (SI) is the modern form of the metric system.
  • In this context, mass is measured in kilograms (kg), height in meters (m), and potential energy in joules (J).