Question Detail
Question
Gravitational potential energy for an object of mass m near the Earth's surface is given by which expression, where y is the height above a reference level?
Correct Answer
Option C is the correct answer.
Detailed Explanation
Gravitational potential energy is the energy an object possesses due to its position in a gravitational field. Near the Earth's surface, where g is constant, it is calculated as PE = mgh, where h (or y) is the height above an arbitrarily chosen zero reference point.
Hint
This form of potential energy depends on the object's weight and its height.