Potential Energy© Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 94-4870Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources.Potential EnergyAn object does not have to be moving to have energy. Some objects have energy because of their shape or position. An archer uses energy to pull back on the string of the bow, and changes its shape. At this point, the bow and string have potential energy. When you lift a box, you use energy that works against the force of gravity, and changes the position of the box. The held box has potential energy.Potential Energy & GravityThe potential energy of an object due to gravity depends on the object’s height and weight. An increase in either of these will increase the object’s potential energy. A skier at the top of small slope has less potential energy than a skier of the same weight who is at the top of a higher slope. Similarly, if two skiers are at the top of the same slope, the skier who weighs more has more potential energy. When these skiers begin skiing down the hill, their potential energy changes to kinetic energy.less potentialenergymore potentialenergygravitykineticenergyPositiongravityenergypotentialenergyshapeenergypotentialenergyCalculating Gravitational Potential EnergyTo calculate gravitational potential energy, multiply height times weight. The skier is at a height of 50 meters and weighs 500 Newtons. The skier’s potential energy equals 25,000 joules (J).The box is at a height of 1.5 meters and weighs 40 Newtons. The box’s potential energy equals 60 joules (J). 40 N500 NShapeHeight & WeightAn object does not have to be moving to have energy. Some objects have energy because of their shape or position. An archer uses energyto pull back on the string of the bow, and changes its shape. At this point, the bow and string have potential energy. When you liiffffffftttttttt aaaaaaaaaaa booooxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,,,,, yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyoooooooooou uuuuuuuuuuuussssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeenergy that woooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkkkkkssssssssssss aaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggggggaainst the force of gravity, aaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnndddddddddddd ccccccccccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhangessssss ttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeee ppppppppppoooooooooooossssssssitiooonnnnnnnnnnnn oooooooooooooffffffffffffffff tttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbooooooooooooooxxxxxxxxxxxxx... TTTTTTTTTTTTTTThhhe held box haspotential enerrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggyyyyyyyyyyyy.The potential energy of an object due to gravity depends on the object’s height and weight. An increase in either of these will increase the object’s potentialenergy. A skier at the top of smalllllllllllllllllllllllllll slope has less potential energythan a skier of the same weight who is at the top of a higher slope. Similarly, if two skierrrrrrsssssssssss aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeee at the top of the same sloooooooooooooooppppppppppppppe, theeeeeeee skier who weighs more hhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssss mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmorrrreeeeeeeeeeepotential energy. When theseeee skiers begin skiing ddddddddddddddddooooooooowwnnnnnnnnnn ttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhe hill, their potential ennneeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrgyyyyyyyyyyyyyy cccccccccccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhangggggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssss to kinetic energy.lessssssssssssssssssssssssss ppppppppppppppppoootennnttttttttttialennneeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggymore potentialenergyggggggggggggggrrrrrrrrrravitykineticenergyPositiongravityenergypotentialenergyeneeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggyyyyyyyyyyyypppppppppppooooootentttttttttttttttttiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllleeeeeeeeeenerrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggyyyyyyyyyyyyTo calculllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttte gggggggggggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaavvvvvvvvvvvvviiiiiiiiitttttttttttttaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttioooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnal potttteeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnntttttttttttiiiiiiiiiiiaaalllllllll eeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeergy, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmuuuuuuuuuuuuultiiiiiiiiiipppppppppppppppppppllllly height times weight. The bbbbbbbboooooooooooooooxx iiisssssssssss aaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttttttt aaaaaaaaaaaaaa hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhttttttttttt ooooooooooffffffffffff 11111111111111111......555 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeettttttttttteeeeeersanddd wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwweiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhsssssssssssssss 444444444444444444444000000000000000 NNNNNNNNNNNNNNeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwtons. TTTTTTTTThhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeee bbbbbbbbboxxxxxxxxxx’’’’’’ssssssssssss poooooooootttttttttttteeeeeeeentttttttttttiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllll eeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggyyyyyyyyyyyyy eeeeeeeeeeqqqqqqqqqqqquuuuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllssssssssssss 60 joullllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssss (((((((((((JJJJJJJJJJ)))))). 444444444444000000000000 NNNNNNNNNNNNNThe skier is at a height of 50 meters and weighs 500 Newtons. The skier’s potential energy equals 25,000 joules (J).500 NSSSSSSSSSSSSSSShhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaapeHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHeeeeeeeeeigghhhhhhhhhhhhhttttttttttt & Weight
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