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A 0.608-kg basketball is dropped out of a window that is 5.71 m above the ground

ID: 2186774 • Letter: A

Question

A 0.608-kg basketball is dropped out of a window that is 5.71 m above the ground. The ball is caught by a person whose hands are 2.30 m above the ground. (a) How much work is done on the ball by its weight? What is the gravitational potential energy of the basketball, relative to the ground, when it is (b) released and (c) caught? (d) What is the change (PEf - PE0) in the ball's gravitational potential energy?

A 0.608 - kg basketball is dropped out of a window that is 5.71 m above the ground. The ball is caught by a person whose hands are 2.30 m above the ground. (a) How much work is done on the ball by its weight? What is the gravitational potential energy of the basketball, relative to the ground, when it is (b) released and (c) caught? (d) What is the change (PEf - PE0) in the ball's gravitational potential energy?

Explanation / Answer

(a) work is done on the ball by its weight = mg(ho - h1) = 20.3 J (b) gravitational potential energy of the basketball, relative to the ground, when it is released = mgh0 = 34.022 (c) gravitational potential energy of the basketball, relative to the ground, when it is caught = mgh1 = 13.722 (d) What is the change (PEf - PE0) in the ball's gravitational potential energy = 34.022 - 13.722 = 20.3