A body weighing 200g freely falls from a height of 10m and goes deep into the sand to a depth of 3cm.

A body weighing 200g freely falls from a height of 10m and goes deep into the sand to a depth of 3cm. Determine the change in potential energy.

To calculate the change in the potential energy of a fallen body, we will use the formula: ΔEp = m * g * (h0 – (-h1)) = m * g * (h0 + h1).

Constants and variables: m is the mass of the fallen body (m = 200 g = 0.2 kg); g – acceleration due to gravity (g ≈ 10 m / s2); h0 – height before falling (h0 = 10 m); h1 is the depth of the deepening into the sand (h1 = 3 cm = 0.03 m, the body is in a potential pit).

Calculation: ΔEp = m * g * (h0 + h1) = 0.2 * 10 * (10 + 0.03) = 20.06 J.

Answer: A) the potential energy has changed by -20.06 J.