Question

read the text about an animal in motion. a prairie dog was resting underground in its burrow when it heard other prairie dogs running around above ground. the prairie dog left its burrow and ran around on a flat field with the others. after a few minutes, it got hungry. so, it stopped in a patch of grass to feed. when was the least gravitational potential energy stored between the prairie dog and earth? assume that the prairie dogs mass did not change. when the prairie dog was resting in its burrow when the prairie dog got hungry when the prairie dog stopped in the grass

Explanation:

Step1: Recall gravitational - potential - energy formula

The gravitational potential energy formula is $U = mgh$, where $m$ is mass, $g$ is the acceleration due to gravity, and $h$ is the height above the ground - level reference.

Step2: Analyze height in each situation

The prairie dog has the least height when it is resting in its burrow (underground). Since $m$ and $g$ are constant (mass doesn't change and $g$ is a constant near the Earth's surface), when $h$ is the smallest, the gravitational potential energy $U$ is the smallest.

Answer:

when the prairie dog was resting in its burrow