Gravitational potential energy on top of apartment building

[Idea04]

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.

 

[imy786]

yes.

PE= MGH

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