1. ## gravitational potential energy

A 0.60 kg basketball is dropped out of the window that is 5.5 m above the ground. The ball is caught by a person whose hands are 1.7 m above the ground. How much work is done by the ball by its weight?
in Joules

What is the gravitational potential energy of the basketball, relative to the ground when it is released?
in Joules

What is the gravitational potential energy of the basketball when it is caught?
in Joules

How is the change (PEf - PE0) in the ball's gravitational potential energy related to the work done by its weight?

2. Originally Posted by rcmango
A 0.60 kg basketball is dropped out of the window that is 5.5 m above the ground. The ball is caught by a person whose hands are 1.7 m above the ground. How much work is done by the ball by its weight?
in Joules

What is the gravitational potential energy of the basketball, relative to the ground when it is released?
in Joules

What is the gravitational potential energy of the basketball when it is caught?
in Joules

How is the change (PEf - PE0) in the ball's gravitational potential energy related to the work done by its weight?
Near the surface of the Earth the gravitational potential energy is mgh, where g is the acceleration due to gravity, h is the height above the reference position, in this the reference is the surface of the Earth, so h is the height above the Earth's surface, and m is the bodys mass.

The change in PE is the work done in accelerating the ball.

RonL

3. Thanks alot. i got it using the potential energy formula you gave me.
22.44 J

32.44 J

and 9.9 J