Suppose all of the apples have a mass of 0.10 kg and one of the apples in the bowl (C) is 1.0 meter off the ground. If the apple (C) falls from the table, what is the maximum kinetic energy it can gain?
What is the potential energy of the apple?
answer: mgh or mass*9.8*height
To answer this question, we need to determine the potential energy of the apple (C) when it is 1.0 meter off the ground and then convert it to kinetic energy as it falls.
The potential energy (PE) of an object at a certain height is given by the formula PE = mgh, where m is the mass of the object, g is the acceleration due to gravity (which is approximately 9.8 m/s^2 on Earth), and h is the height.
Given that the mass of the apple is 0.10 kg and the height is 1.0 meter, we can calculate the potential energy:
PE = (0.10 kg) x (9.8 m/s^2) x (1.0 m) = 0.98 joules
Now, as the apple falls, the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. The kinetic energy (KE) of an object with mass m and speed v is given by the formula KE = (1/2)mv^2.
Since the apple falls from rest, its initial speed is 0 m/s. Therefore, the kinetic energy it can gain is equal to the potential energy it had at the top:
KE = 0.98 joules
So, the maximum kinetic energy the apple (C) can gain when it falls from the table is 0.98 joules.