On August 13, 2001, the Helios Prototype (HP01) robotic aircraft which is an unmanned aircraft with solar power has reached a height of 96 863 feet or 29523.8424 m above sea level with a weight of almost 600 kg has made history as a non-rocket powered aircraft that has been successfully flown.

Calculate the gravitational potential energy of this Helios Prototype (HP 01) aircraft at an altitude of 29,500m using the formula, Potential Energy = mgh , (g = 10ms ̄²)

To calculate the gravitational potential energy of the Helios Prototype (HP01) aircraft at an altitude of 29,500 meters, we can use the formula:

\[
\text{Potential Energy (PE)} = mgh
\]

Where:
- \( m \) is the mass of the aircraft,
- \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity,
- \( h \) is the height above sea level.

Given:
- \( m = 600 \, \text{kg} \),
- \( g = 10 \, \text{m/s}^2 \),
- \( h = 29,500 \, \text{m} \).

Substituting the values into the formula:

\[
\text{PE} = 600 \, \text{kg} \times 10 \, \text{m/s}^2 \times 29,500 \, \text{m}
\]

Now, calculate the result:

\[
\text{PE} = 600 \times 10 \times 29,500 = 177,000,000 \, \text{J}
\]

So, the gravitational potential energy of the Helios Prototype at an altitude of 29,500 meters is **177,000,000 joules** or **177 MJ**.

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are 5 related questions you might find interesting:
1. How would the potential energy change if the mass of the aircraft doubled?
2. What would the potential energy be if the altitude were halved?
3. How does the value of gravitational acceleration \( g \) vary with altitude, and how would that affect the calculation?
4. How does the potential energy of the Helios Prototype compare to that of a satellite in low Earth orbit?
5. What other forms of energy are significant in the flight of a solar-powered aircraft?

**Tip:** In many physics problems, especially in gravitational calculations, it's important to ensure that all units are consistent.

On August 13, 2001, the Helios Prototype (HP01) robotic aircraft which is an unmanned aircraft with solar power has reached a height of 96 863 feet or 29523.8424 m above sea level with a weight of almost 600 kg has made history as a non-rocket powered aircraft that has been successfully flown. Calculate the gravitational potential energy of this Helios Prototype (HP 01) aircraft at an altitude of 29,500m using the formula, Potential Energy = mgh , (g = 10ms ̄²)

Explore how to calculate the gravitational potential energy of the Helios Prototype (HP01) solar-powered aircraft at an altitude of 29,500 meters. This physics problem uses the formula PE = mgh, with the mass of the aircraft at 600 kg and gravitational acceleration g = 10 m/s². Ideal for high school students in Grades 10-12.

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