GPE and KE Equation Practice
1 2
Kinetic Energy= × mass × velocity
2
1 2
KE= × m× v
2
Change∈Gravitational Potential Energy=mass × gravitational field strength × change∈height
∆ GPE=m× g × ∆ h
Here are the two equation triangles for these.
Reminder on triangles: just cover the bit you want and then do what
the rest says. Make sure:
To get any one factor on the bottom, you’ll need to do the multiplying
of the other two factors on the bottom BEFORE doing the top divided
by what you get;
To get the velocity out of the KE equation, you’ll need to pretend you are working out v 2as a thing on its own, then
square root that to get v .
There are two approaches you could take to rearranging an equation like either of these. Here’s an example:
Find the mass of an object that has kinetic energy of 1000 J when it is moving with a speed of 10 m/s.
KEY INFORMATION
Energy (Kinetic or Gravitational Potential or any other sort) is measured in JOULES (J). If you see kJ, MJ etc you
will have to convert into Joules. Review your work on PREFIXES if you don’t know how.
Speed or velocity is measured in METRES PER SECONDS (m/s), NOT miles per hour (mph) or anything else.
Mass is measured in KILOGRAMS (kg).
The value of Earth’s gravitational field strength g=9.81 N /kg. This is given here to help your problem-solving
practice BUT you will need to know it off-by-heart as you won’t necessarily be given it in the exam.
∆ GPE is a CHANGE in GPE, so the equation allows you to work out how different the GPE is, not an absolute
amount.
∆ h is a CHANGE in height – from one position to another. It is measured in METRES (m) as height is a version of
distance.
QUESTIONS
1. What is the gain in GPE of a man who has mass 65 kg and who climbs a vertical height of 14 m on Earth?
(2 marks)
2. What is the kinetic energy of a 1700 kg car that is moving at 25 m/s?
(2 marks)
3. Calculate the kinetic energy of a dog of mass 24 kg moving at 3 m/s.
(2 marks)
4. A girl has mass 32 kg. She walks down a flight of stairs so her height above ground level changes from 5.2 m
to zero. Calculate how much gravitational potential energy she has lost during her descent.
(2 marks)
5. A teacher walks down from her room 5.2 m above ground level to a point on the stairs 1.5 m above ground
level. The teacher then stops, having forgotten what she went downstairs for. The teacher’s mass is 56 kg.
What Is her change in GPE?
(2 marks)
6. Calculate the increase in kinetic energy of a cyclist who (with bike) has total mass 175 kg and who changes
speed from 5 m/s to 11 m/s.
(2 marks)
7. On the Moon, an astronaut leaps 5 metres off the ground. The astronaut’s mass is 58 kg. The leap gains the
astronaut 493 J of extra gravitational potential energy before he begins to fall back down. What is the value
of the gravitational field strength of the Moon? The unit for the answer is N/kg.
(3 marks)
8. What is the velocity of a 4.2 kg cannonball that has a kinetic energy store of 4500 J? Give your answer to a
suitable number of significant figures.
(3 marks)
9. There are 1000 kg to 1 metric tonne.
A lorry has a mass of 9.3 tonnes. It climbs a hill from 25 m above sea level to 37 m above sea level.
Calculate its gain in gravitational potential energy. Give your answer in Megajoules (MJ) and to two
significant figures.
(3 marks)
10. The women’s world record for the 100 m is a time of 10.49 seconds. It is held by American athlete Florence
Griffith-Joyner, who had a mass of 57 kg when she ran this time in 1988. Calculate her average kinetic
energy during that race. Give your answer to 2 significant figures.
(4 marks)
