Question

A 1.30 kg squirrel runs east across the ground for 6.00 meters. She climbs 0.600 meters before running west on a limb for 3.00 meters. She jumps up .900 meters onto another branch, travels west 4.25 meters. She stops and eats a nut. Calculate net work. What is the squirrel’s gravitational potential energy?

Answer 1

The net work against gravity is given by:

$$A = mgh$$

where $m = 1.3kg$ is the mass of the squirrel, $g = 9.81m/s^2$ is the gravitational acceleration and $h$ is the final height of the squirrel above the ground:

$$h = 0.6m + 0.9m = 1.5m$$

Thus, obtain:

$$A = 1.3\cdot 9.81\cdot 1.5 \approx 19.13J$$

The final potential energy of the squirrel is the same:

$$U = A = 19.13J$$

Answer. 19.13J, 19.13J.