On a track with points A and B at different elevations, point A is higher than point B. Which statement about gravitational potential energy is true?

On a track with points A and B at different elevations, point A is higher than point B. Which statement about gravitational potential energy is true?

• A. The potential energy at A is greater than the potential energy at B.
• B. The potential energy at B is greater than the potential energy at A.
• C. The lowest potential energy is located at A.
• D. The lowest potential energy is located at B.

Answer: (A)

Gravitational potential energy increases with height above a reference level. For an object of mass m at height h, U = mgh (with g as gravity). Since point A is higher than point B, the height h is larger at A, so U at A is greater than U at B. The lower point would have less potential energy, so the statement about the lowest energy being at A or B would not hold given A is higher. If you change the reference level, the numeric values shift, but the relative comparison stays the same: higher position means greater gravitational potential energy.

Gravitational potential energy increases with height above a reference level. For an object of mass m at height h, U = mgh (with g as gravity). Since point A is higher than point B, the height h is larger at A, so U at A is greater than U at B. The lower point would have less potential energy, so the statement about the lowest energy being at A or B would not hold given A is higher. If you change the reference level, the numeric values shift, but the relative comparison stays the same: higher position means greater gravitational potential energy.