A 1250 kg wrecking ball is lifted to a height of 12.7 m above its resting point. When the wrecking ball
is released, it swings toward an abandoned building and makes an indentation of 43.7 cm in the
wall.
a. What is the potential energy of the wrecking ball at a height of 12.7 m?
850
To find the potential energy of the wrecking ball at a height of 12.7 m, we can use the formula for gravitational potential energy:
Potential energy (PE) = mass (m) × acceleration due to gravity (g) × height (h)
Given:
mass (m) = 1250 kg
height (h) = 12.7 m
acceleration due to gravity (g) ≈ 9.8 m/s² (standard value on Earth)
Substituting the values into the formula, we get:
PE = 1250 kg × 9.8 m/s² × 12.7 m
Calculating the result:
PE = 154350 J (Joules)
Therefore, the potential energy of the wrecking ball at a height of 12.7 m is 154350 Joules.