Questions: Which object has the most gravitational potential energy? Select the correct answer below: an airplane in mid-flight a baseball held by a pitcher a bird on top of a flagpole these objects all have the same gravitational potential energy

Solution Steps

Gravitational potential energy (GPE) is the energy an object possesses due to its position in a gravitational field. It is given by the formula: \[ \text{GPE} = mgh \] where \( m \) is the mass of the object, \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity, and \( h \) is the height of the object above a reference point.

To determine which object has the most gravitational potential energy, we need to consider the height \( h \) of each object, assuming the mass \( m \) and gravitational acceleration \( g \) are constant for all objects.

• An airplane in mid-flight: Typically at a high altitude, so \( h \) is large.
• A baseball held by a pitcher: Held at a relatively low height compared to an airplane.
• A bird on top of a flagpole: Higher than a baseball held by a pitcher but much lower than an airplane in mid-flight.

Given the typical scenarios:

• An airplane in mid-flight is at a much greater height than both a baseball held by a pitcher and a bird on top of a flagpole.
• Therefore, the airplane will have the highest gravitational potential energy due to its significantly greater height.

Final Answer