A 5kg object is resting on top of a 30m building. How much energy does the object have?
To determine the amount of energy the object has, we need to consider both its gravitational potential energy and its kinetic energy.
First, let's start with the object's gravitational potential energy. The formula for calculating gravitational potential energy is:
Gravitational Potential Energy = mass * acceleration due to gravity * height
The mass of the object is given as 5kg, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s², and the height of the building is 30m.
Plugging in these values into the formula:
Gravitational Potential Energy = 5kg * 9.8 m/s² * 30m
Calculating this, we get:
Gravitational Potential Energy = 1470 kg·m²/s²
Now, let's calculate the kinetic energy. Since the object is resting (not moving), its kinetic energy is zero.
Therefore, the total energy of the object is equal to its gravitational potential energy:
Total Energy = Gravitational Potential Energy = 1470 kg·m²/s²
So, the object has 1470 kilogram-meter squared per second squared (1470 J) of energy.