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7. A Can of Spinach with Mass of 0.14 Kg Loses 28 J of Potential Energy Falling off of a Shelf. How High Was the Can Before It Fell?

Question

7. A can of spinach with mass of 0.14 kg loses 28 J of potential energy falling off of a shelf. How high was the can before it fell?

Solution

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Answer

Here's how to solve this problem:1. **Understand the concept:** Potential energy (PE) is given by the formula PE = mgh, where m is the mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s² on Earth), and h is the height.2. **Rearrange the formula:** We want to find the height (h), so we rearrange the formula to h = PE / (mg)3. **Plug in the values:** * PE = 28 J * m = 0.14 kg * g = 9.8 m/s²4. **Calculate:** h = 28 J / (0.14 kg * 9.8 m/s²) = 20.4 meters (approximately)**Answer:** The can of spinach was approximately 20.4 meters high before it fell.