Select the best answer for the question:

An object with a mass of 70 kilograms is supported at a height of 8 meters above the ground. What's the potential energy of the object with respect to the ground?

A. 3.430 J
B. 2.058 J
C. 5.488 J
D. 560 J



Answer :

To find the potential energy of an object with a mass of 70 kilograms supported at a height of 8 meters above the ground, we use the formula for gravitational potential energy:

[tex]\[ PE = m \times h \times g \][/tex]

where:
- [tex]\( PE \)[/tex] is the potential energy,
- [tex]\( m \)[/tex] is the mass of the object (70 kg),
- [tex]\( h \)[/tex] is the height above the ground (8 m),
- [tex]\( g \)[/tex] is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s[tex]\(^2\)[/tex]).

Using these values, the calculation for the potential energy is:

[tex]\[ PE = 70 \, \text{kg} \times 8 \, \text{m} \times 9.81 \, \text{m/s}^2 \][/tex]
[tex]\[ PE = 5493.6 \, \text{J} \][/tex]

Given this calculation, the closest correct answer is:

C. 5.488 J

However, note that a discrepancy may occur in answer choices provided. The exact potential energy value calculated is 5493.6 J. None of the answer choices perfectly match this. Therefore, the ideal correct answer based on calculations should be 5493.6 J. If choices were correct, the answer C with a rounding error might have been intended, but correct presentation would be crucial for assessment.