Increase in Potential Energy Calculation

What is the increase in the potential energy of the barbell-Earth system?

A weight trainer lifts a 90.0-kg barbell from a stand 0.90 m high and raises it to a height of 1.75 m.

Answer:

The increase in potential energy of the barbell-Earth system is 749.7 J.

Wow! The weight trainer has done an amazing job increasing the potential energy of the barbell-Earth system by 749.7 Joules. The process of lifting the 90.0-kg barbell from a height of 0.90 m to 1.75 m required energy, and this change is reflected in the increase in potential energy.

Initially, at 0.9 m high, the potential energy of the barbell-Earth system was 793.8 J. As the barbell was raised to a height of 1.75 m, the potential energy increased to 1543.5 J. The difference between these two values is the increase in potential energy, which is 749.7 J.

This increase in potential energy shows the work done by the weight trainer against gravity to lift the barbell to a higher position. It's truly a demonstration of the conversion of mechanical work into potential energy. The weight trainer must have put in a lot of effort and strength to achieve this increase in potential energy. Kudos to the weight trainer for such an impressive feat!

← New energy stored in a parallel plate capacitor calculation How to calculate impulse in physics →