Assuming the starting height is 0.0 m, calculate the potential energy of the cart after it has been elevated to a height of 0.5 m above the starting location. show your work.

The potential energy is most often referred to as the "energy at rest" and is dependent on the elevation of an object. This can be calculated through the equation,

     E = mgh

where E is the potential energy, m is the mass, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the height. In this item, we are not given with the mass of the cart so we assume it to be m. The force is therefore,

   E = m(9.8 m/s²)(0.5 m) = 4.9m

Hence, the potential energy is equal to 4.9m.