Physics

Problem

Which of the following expressions represents the gravitational potential energy

U

of an object of mass

m

kept at a height

h

above the ground? (Take acceleration due to gravity as

g

.) a)

\tfrac12 m g h

- m g h

m g h

2 m g h

Intuitive explanation

Gravitational potential energy measures how much work gravity could do on an object if it fell—it's the energy stored by height. The key insight is that this energy is proportional to three things: how massive the object is ( $m$ ), how strong gravity pulls ( $g$ ), and how far it could fall ( $h$ ). Think of it as the "cost" to lift something against gravity's pull.

Intuitive explanation

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