Thank you!topsquark said:You have the right idea but something went wrong.
Your mistake: PE = mgh = 1.2 x 10 x (3 x sin(35)). Where did you get the 12 from?
PE = mgh = 1.2 x 10 x (3 x sin(35)) = 20.6 J.
(You have to use a Scientific calculator anyway, so I don't understand why you would be told to use g = 10 m/s^2 instead of 9.8 m/s^2. I think it's silly!)
-Dan
Potential energy is the stored energy an object has due to its position or configuration. It is the energy that an object has the potential to convert into other forms of energy, such as kinetic energy.
In the context of a sliding tile, potential energy refers to the energy that the tile has due to its position on the surface. As the tile slides down a slope, its potential energy decreases, and this energy is converted into kinetic energy.
The decrease in potential energy of a sliding tile is affected by the height of the slope, the mass of the tile, and the acceleration due to gravity. The higher the slope, the greater the decrease in potential energy. Similarly, a heavier tile will have more potential energy than a lighter tile, and thus a greater decrease in potential energy as it slides down the slope.
The decrease in potential energy of a sliding tile is due to the conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy. As the tile slides down the slope, its potential energy decreases, and its kinetic energy increases, resulting in a constant total energy.
The decrease in potential energy of a sliding tile can be calculated using the formula PE = mgh, where m is the mass of the tile, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height of the slope. This formula represents the potential energy an object has at a certain height above the ground.