Estimate the potential energy of a person standing on the surface of the Earth with respect to the center of mass of the Earth and then with respect to the surface.
The potential energy depends on the vertical height from the reference point.
When the person stands on the surface of the earth, the vertical height of the person from the surface is zero.
The potential energy of the person when standing on the surface of the earth with respect to the earth's surface is zero.
The radius of the earth is 6371 km.
In this case, the radius of the earth becomes the vertical height between the surface of the earth and the center of mass of the earth.
Calculate the potential energy of the person with respect to the center of mass of the earth.
PE=mgR
=(6371*10^3)mg
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