Gravitational potential energy on top of apartment building

AI Thread Summary
Gravitational potential energy increases with height above the Earth's surface, meaning a cup of water on the 10th floor has higher potential energy than one at ground level. The potential energy (PE) can be calculated using the formula PE = MGH, where M is mass, G is the acceleration due to gravity, and H is the height. When water is poured from the cup, the distance it falls affects the energy released, but the potential energy is determined by its height before being poured. Therefore, the water's potential energy is based on its height above ground level, not the distance it travels after being poured. In summary, the higher the elevation, the greater the gravitational potential energy.
Idea04
Messages
194
Reaction score
1

Homework Statement


My question is, if your at the top of an apartment building, maybe the 10th floor, and you have a cup of water in your hand or on the table. Does the water have a higher gravitational potential energy than a cup of water at ground level?


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


what I know is the higher up from the Earth's surface the higher the potential energy. But if the water poured out of the cup to the floor it would travel a short distance compared to if you poured it out the window and it traveled to the ground 10 floors down. So is the energy the height of the water in the air or the distance travelled.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
yes.

PE= MGH

so the higher you are relative the ground the higher the potentian energy
 

Thread 'Errors and significant figures'

I multiplied the values first without the error limit. Got 19.38. rounded it off to 2 significant figures since the given data has 2 significant figures. So = 19. For error I used the above formula. It comes out about 1.48. Now my question is. Should I write the answer as 19±1.5 (rounding 1.48 to 2 significant figures) OR should I write it as 19±1. So in short, should the error have same number of significant figures as the mean value or should it have the same number of decimal places as...
View full post »
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'

Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'

Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
View full post »

Similar threads

Misunderstanding of Gravitational Potential Energy
Replies
7
Views
3K
Energy of a water tank with compressed air
Replies
5
Views
1K
Understanding the Bungee Jumper Problem: Energy Transformation and Calculations
Replies
44
Views
6K
Gravitational Potential Energy questions near the surface of a planet
Replies
8
Views
2K
Gravitational equipotential multiple choice problem
Replies
4
Views
2K
Minimizing the Energy of Two Conductors Very Far Apart
Replies
23
Views
1K
Conservation of Energy with Gravitational Potential Energy
Replies
6
Views
2K
Distance in Electric versus Gravitational potential energy
Replies
8
Views
2K
Deriving gravitational potential energy -- mistake
Replies
9
Views
2K
Elliptical orbit/ determine speed & potential energy
Replies
1
Views
1K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top