Total Mechanical Energy

[prdk21]

Hi!
So I am working through a problem for my meteorology class titled as "dynamic meteorology".
I am asked to solve the total mechanical energy of an air parcel at sea level
when I am given
3 variables:
Density: 6.6 kg/m^3
Volume: 15.0 cm^3
Deflected South at: 6.8 km/hr

So, I understand that total mechanical energy is Kinetic Energy + Potential Energy
I think I can calculate Kinetic energy sinec it is 1/2mv^2
So, I can work out units and multiply volume by density to get mass, then multiply
that by the velocity squared. But I am not sure how to calculate potential energy.

I know there is the PE = mgz equation, where m is mass and g is gravitation constant,
but I am not sure how to get the z value from the info given.

Can anyone help?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Dr.Peterson]

So I am working through a problem for my meteorology class titled as "dynamic meteorology".
I am asked to solve the total mechanical energy of an air parcel at sea level
when I am given
3 variables:
Density: 6.6 kg/m^3
Volume: 15.0 cm^3
Deflected South at: 6.8 km/hr

So, I understand that total mechanical energy is Kinetic Energy + Potential Energy
I think I can calculate Kinetic energy since it is 1/2mv^2
So, I can work out units and multiply volume by density to get mass, then multiply
that by the velocity squared. But I am not sure how to calculate potential energy.

I know there is the PE = mgz equation, where m is mass and g is gravitation constant,
but I am not sure how to get the z value from the info given.

I don't claim to know anything about this, but it seems to me that the air is at sea level and is staying at sea level, so z=0. At least nothing you've quoted says otherwise.

Do you have reason to think potential energy has to be taken into consideration at all?

 

[prdk21]

I don't claim to know anything about this, but it seems to me that the air is at sea level and is staying at sea level, so z=0. At least nothing you've quoted says otherwise.

Do you have reason to think potential energy has to be taken into consideration at all?

Hi, sorry for the late response. But you are absolutely correct, so in that case potential energy would just be 0. Thank you for your help!