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shawonna23
Oct12-04, 02:25 AM
A 70.0 kg skier rides a 2860 m long lift to the top of a mountain. The lift makes an angle of 14.8° with the horizontal. What is the change in the skier's gravitational potential energy?

Would I use the equation: PE= (mg*final height) - (mg*initial height)? What do I do with the 14.8degrees? Please help. I'm stuck.
chroot
Oct12-04, 02:27 AM
Potential energy does not have anything to do with angles. All that matters is the change in altitude. The angle was provided specifically to confuse you.

- Warren
shawonna23
Oct12-04, 03:16 AM
if the 14.8 degrees is useless, what would i have to do to solve the problem. I don't get it????
chroot
Oct12-04, 03:22 AM
The change in gravitational potential energy when moving a mass m through a height h is just

\Delta PE = m g \Delta h

- Warren