True or false? The amount of gravitational potential energy depends on where the reference height y = 0 is set.

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question restatement: The prompt asks whether the amount of gravitational potential energy depends on where one sets the reference height y = 0.
Option a: True. This is correct because gravitational potential energy (U) is defined as U = m g h relative to a chosen zero of height. If you shift the zero height, all h values change by a constant, which changes the numerical value of U accordingly, even though physical differences (like U_final − U_initial) remain the same. The reference point is a convention, not a physical invariant, so the energy can be different depending on the chosen zero.
Option b: False. This would be the opposite of the actual situation. Saying energy does not depend on the reference ignores the convention in the definition of potential energy. People often confuse this with work or height differences, but the specific numeric value of U does depend on where you set h = 0, even if work done by gravity over a path between two points depends only on the height difference. The misconception here is treating U as an absolute quantity rather than a relative one.
Note on common confusions: Some learners think U must have a universal zero, but physics uses a convenient reference choice to simplify calculations. Changing the zero shifts all potential energy values by the same constant, which does not affect outcomes like differences in potential energy or the work required to move between two heights.
In summary, option a is the correct description of how gravitational potential energy behaves with respect to the reference height, while option b incorrectly asserts independence from the reference choice.

SPH4U - Physics 12 (2025-26) - A

True or false? The amount of gravitational potential energy depends on where the reference height y = 0 is set.

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