A 40.0 kg stuntwoman is about to jump off a warehouse with a height of 40.0 m. What is her gravitational potential energy on Earth where the force of gravity is 9.8 m/s^2?
A. 1,600 J
B. 100 J
C. 15,680 J
D. 980 J
The gravitational potential energy (PE) of the stuntwoman can be calculated using the formula:
PE = mgh
where m is the mass (in kg), g is the acceleration due to gravity (in m/s^2), and h is the height (in m).
Thus, substituting the given values:
PE = (40.0 kg)(9.8 m/s^2)(40.0 m)
PE = 15,680 J
Therefore, the answer is C. 15,680 J.