Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Practice Test

The formula for finding the potential energy (PE) of an object at a certain height is indeed represented by the equation that states potential energy equals mass multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity and the height at which the object is located. This relationship is derived from the notion that potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position in a gravitational field.

In this context, mass represents the quantity of matter in the object, gravity is the acceleration due to the gravitational pull (approximately 9.81 m/s² on Earth), and height is the vertical distance from a reference point (often the ground). When you multiply these three components together, you quantify the energy that an object possesses due to its position above the ground.

The other provided formulas do not correctly represent the concept of potential energy. For instance, adding mass, gravity, and height does not yield a meaningful energy calculation. Similarly, subtracting or dividing these quantities does not align with how potential energy is defined in physics. Thus, the correct formulation ensures that one can accurately calculate an object's potential energy based solely on its position in a gravity field.