How can the potential energy of an Olympic ski jumper be increased?

Question

How can the potential energy of an Olympic ski jumper be increased?

Responses

A. by decreasing the length of the skis that the jumper is using

B. by increasing the height of the hill the jumper is skiing down

C. by increasing the length of the skis that the jumper is using

D. by decreasing the height of the hill the jumper is skiing down

Answer 1

The correct answer is B. By increasing the height of the hill the jumper is skiing down, the potential energy of the ski jumper is increased. This is because potential energy is directly proportional to the height of the object above the ground. Therefore, the higher the hill, the more potential energy the ski jumper will have before they descend down the hill.