A squirrel standing on a branch rolls an acorn toward a hole in the tree. To determine how the potential energy of the acorn changes in relation to the earth, the position of what two objects must be considered?
To determine how the potential energy of the acorn changes in relation to the earth, the positions of the acorn and the earth must be considered. The potential energy of the acorn is due to its position relative to the earth. As the acorn rolls towards the hole in the tree, its height above the ground changes, which affects the potential energy of the acorn-earth system.
