Gravitational Force, or gravitational
potential energy, is the energy that objects feel being near the
gravitational pull from the planet. The gravitational emery to earth's
surface is roughly 9.8 m/s2.
The potential energy is the energy stored in the object. In this instance the waterfall has more potential energy when the water is at the top of the waterfall before it falls. It is similar to the first possition in the image below. The kinetic energy is the energy associated with any given moving object. The waterfall has the most kinetic energy during the decent down the falls when gravitational acceleration increases the velocity of the water thus increasing the kinetic energy. This situation is similar to the second image below.
Image Link: http://myweb.cwpost.liu.edu/vdivener/notes/block_horiz_vert.gif
The potential energy is the energy stored in the object. In this instance the waterfall has more potential energy when the water is at the top of the waterfall before it falls. It is similar to the first possition in the image below. The kinetic energy is the energy associated with any given moving object. The waterfall has the most kinetic energy during the decent down the falls when gravitational acceleration increases the velocity of the water thus increasing the kinetic energy. This situation is similar to the second image below.
Image Link: http://myweb.cwpost.liu.edu/vdivener/notes/block_horiz_vert.gif
Looking at the equation for
work:
W= Fd
if we use gravitational acceleration and
the equation F=ma, with mass in kg, we get: