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We have set the Earths' Voltage at zero volts but is this 'earth voltage' applicable throughout the Universe. If not, is it relative in the same manner as spacetime and is it calculatable?
For most applications, the choice of which voltage to choose to be zero is a convention rather than a fundamental fact about reality. It's less that the Earth has a voltage of zero, but rather that it has a consistent voltage that we can rely upon. When doing calculations for how most electric systems operate, you can add a constant voltage to every component in the system and its behavior will not change one iota. You could easily say, "The Earth's voltage is 3V," and pretty much nothing would change.We have set the Earths' Voltage at zero volts but is this 'earth voltage' applicable throughout the Universe. If not, is it relative in the same manner as spacetime and is it calculatable?
My bet is that there is some potential here caused by the solar wind. It will be pretty small, however.A possible interpretation of the question is "is Earth potential the same as Mars potential"? Or Vulcan potential, or whatever your favourite extra-solar planet is. I think the answer to that is yes, because otherwise we'd see electric fields in space affecting the solar wind.
I thought about that, but the solar wind must be electrically neutral overall otherwise the Sun would accumulate a charge. I guess local charge density can fluctuate, which might induce small time-varying potential differences, I suppose?My bet is that there is some potential here caused by the solar wind. It will be pretty small, however.
The Sun likely has accumulated a (small) charge due to the fact that electrons and protons have different masses.I thought about that, but the solar wind must be electrically neutral overall otherwise the Sun would accumulate a charge. I guess local charge density can fluctuate, which might induce small time-varying potential differences, I suppose?