Question

A stone is held at a height h above the ground. A second stone with four times the mass of the first one is held at the same height. The gravitational potential energy of the second stone compared to that of the first stone is

Answer 1

gravitational potential energy is given by formula

$U = mgh$

here we need to compare the gravitational potential energy of stone 2 with respect to stone 1

so we will say

$\frac{U_2}{U_1} = \frac{m_2gh}{m_1gh}$

$\frac{U_2}{U_1} =\frac{m_2}{m_1}$

given that

$m_2 = 4 m_1$

now we have

$\frac{U_2}{U_1} = 4$