Question

read the text about an animal in motion. a blue jay was sleeping in its nest near the top of a pine tree. the blue jay woke up and needed to eat, so it flew to the ground to look for food. when the blue jay landed on the ground, it saw that there was no food around. then, the blue jay looked up and saw a bird feeder on a low branch of a nearby pine tree. the blue jay flew to the bird feeder and perched on it to eat. when was the least gravitational potential energy stored between the blue jay and earth? assume that the blue jays mass did not change. when the blue jay was asleep in its nest when the blue jay landed on the ground when the blue jay perched on the bird feeder

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. Given that $m$ and $g$ are constant in this case, the gravitational potential energy $U$ depends only on the height $h$.

Step2: Compare heights

The blue - jay's height is the lowest when it lands on the ground. Since $U = mgh$ and $m$ and $g$ are constant, the lower the $h$, the lower the $U$.

Answer:

when the blue jay landed on the ground