The table shows information about four objects resting at the top of a hill.

| Object | Mass (kg) | Potential Energy (J) |
|--------|-----------|----------------------|
| W | 50 | 980 |
| X | 35 | 1,029 |
| Y | 62 | 1,519 |
| Z | 24 | 1,176 |

Which object is on the tallest hill?

A. W
B. X
C. Y
D. Z



Answer :

Let's solve this problem step-by-step to determine which object is on the tallest hill.

Step 1: Understand the Potential Energy formula

The potential energy ([tex]\( PE \)[/tex]) of an object is given by the formula:
[tex]\[ PE = m \cdot g \cdot h \][/tex]
where,
- [tex]\( PE \)[/tex] is the potential energy,
- [tex]\( m \)[/tex] is the mass of the object,
- [tex]\( g \)[/tex] is the gravitational acceleration (approximated as [tex]\( 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)[/tex]),
- [tex]\( h \)[/tex] is the height of the hill.

Step 2: Rearrange the formula to solve for height ([tex]\( h \)[/tex])

To find the height, we rearrange the formula:
[tex]\[ h = \frac{PE}{m \cdot g} \][/tex]

Step 3: Calculate the height for each object

Given:
1. Object W:
- Mass ([tex]\( m \)[/tex]) = 50 kg
- Potential energy ([tex]\( PE \)[/tex]) = 980 J
[tex]\[ h_W = \frac{980}{50 \cdot 9.8} = \frac{980}{490} \approx 2 \, \text{m} \][/tex]

2. Object X:
- Mass ([tex]\( m \)[/tex]) = 35 kg
- Potential energy ([tex]\( PE \)[/tex]) = 1,029 J
[tex]\[ h_X = \frac{1,029}{35 \cdot 9.8} = \frac{1,029}{343} \approx 3 \, \text{m} \][/tex]

3. Object Y:
- Mass ([tex]\( m \)[/tex]) = 62 kg
- Potential energy ([tex]\( PE \)[/tex]) = 1,519 J
[tex]\[ h_Y = \frac{1,519}{62 \cdot 9.8} = \frac{1,519}{607.6} \approx 2.5 \, \text{m} \][/tex]

4. Object Z:
- Mass ([tex]\( m \)[/tex]) = 24 kg
- Potential energy ([tex]\( PE \)[/tex]) = 1,176 J
[tex]\[ h_Z = \frac{1,176}{24 \cdot 9.8} = \frac{1,176}{235.2} \approx 5 \, \text{m} \][/tex]

Step 4: Compare the heights to determine which hill is tallest

The heights for each object are:
- [tex]\( h_W \approx 2 \, \text{m} \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( h_X \approx 3 \, \text{m} \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( h_Y \approx 2.5 \, \text{m} \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( h_Z \approx 5 \, \text{m} \)[/tex]

Comparing these heights, we find that [tex]\( h_Z \approx 5 \text{m} \)[/tex] is the tallest.

Conclusion:
The object on the tallest hill is object [tex]\( Z \)[/tex].

So, the answer is:
[tex]\[ \boxed{Z} \][/tex]

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