What is the gravitational potential energy of a \(2.0-\mathrm{kg}\) book \(1.5 \mathrm{~m}\) above the floor?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: The gravitational potential energy of the book is 29.43 joules.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the given values

In this problem, we are given the mass (m) of the book as 2.0 kg, the height (h) above the floor as 1.5 m, and the acceleration due to gravity (g) as approximately 9.81 m/s².
02

Write down the formula for gravitational potential energy

The formula to calculate gravitational potential energy is GPE = m * g * h
03

Plug in the given values into the formula

Now, we can substitute the values of m, g, and h into the formula: GPE = (2.0 kg) * (9.81 m/s²) * (1.5 m)
04

Multiply the values

Multiply the values together: GPE = 2.0 kg * 9.81 m/s² * 1.5 m = 29.43 kg m²/s²
05

Convert the gravitational potential energy to joules

Since 1 kg m²/s² is equivalent to 1 joule (J), the gravitational potential energy of the book is equal to 29.43 J. So, the gravitational potential energy of the 2.0 kg book 1.5 meters above the floor is 29.43 joules.

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