a spectator at a hockey game is sitting in a seat situated 10.4m above ground leve. if the spectator has a mass of 52.6 kg, calculate her gravitational potential energy relative to:
a)ground level
Eg=mgh
=52.6X9.8X10.4
=5360.99J
b)the ice surface
Eg=mgh
=52.6X9.8X13.2
=6804J
Part (a) is correct and the formula you use is correct, but you don't say what the ice surface elevation is. You do the problem as if the ice surface were 2.8 m below ground level.
To calculate the gravitational potential energy relative to ground level, you can use the formula Eg = mgh, where Eg is the gravitational potential energy, m is the mass of the spectator, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height above ground level.
a) Ground level:
Using the formula, Eg = mgh, plug in the values:
Eg = 52.6 kg × 9.8 m/s^2 × 10.4 m
Eg = 5360.99 J
Therefore, the gravitational potential energy of the spectator relative to ground level is approximately 5360.99 Joules.
b) The ice surface:
Similarly, you can use the same formula Eg = mgh to calculate the gravitational potential energy relative to the ice surface.
Eg = 52.6 kg × 9.8 m/s^2 × 13.2 m
Eg = 6804 J
Therefore, the gravitational potential energy of the spectator relative to the ice surface is approximately 6804 Joules.