How much work is done by gravity when a pine cone (of mass 50g) falls from the top of a tree 9 m high?

Answer 1

The work done by gravity can be calculated using the formula ( W = mgh ), where ( W ) is the work done, ( m ) is the mass in kilograms, ( g ) is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately ( 9.81 , \text{m/s}^2 )), and ( h ) is the height in meters. For a pine cone with a mass of 50g (0.05 kg) falling from a height of 9 m, the work done by gravity is ( W = 0.05 , \text{kg} \times 9.81 , \text{m/s}^2 \times 9 , \text{m} = 4.41 , \text{J} ). Thus, the work done by gravity is approximately 4.41 joules.