The potential energy (PGE) of an object can be calculated using the formula: PGE = mgh, where m is the mass of the object, g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s² on Earth), and h is the height or vertical distance.
Given:
Mass of the boulder (m) = 257 kg
Height of the cliff (h) = 19 m
Acceleration due to gravity (g) = 9.8 m/s²
Now we can calculate the potential energy:
PGE = (257 kg) × (9.8 m/s²) × (19 m)
PGE = 485,366 J
Therefore, the potential energy of the 257 kg boulder at the top of the 19 m cliff is approximately 485,366 joules (J).