Question

With an elevation of 5,334 m above sea level, the village of Aucanquilca, Chile is the highest inhabited town in the world. What would be the gravitational potential energy associated with a 64 kg person in Aucanquilca? (Ep = mgh)

Answer 1

The gravitational potential energy of a 64 kg person at an elevation of 5,334 m in Aucanquilca, Chile, is calculated using the formula Ep = mgh. With g = 9.8 m/s², the result is approximately 3,333,504 J.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the gravitational potential energy (Ep) of a 64 kg person at an elevation of 5,334 m above sea level in Aucanquilca, Chile, we use the formula Ep = mgh, where m is the mass of the person in kilograms, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s2 on Earth), and h is the height above the reference point in meters.

In this case:

• m = 64 kg (mass of the person)
• g = 9.8 m/s2 (acceleration due to gravity)
• h = 5,334 m (elevation of Aucanquilca)

Plugging these values into the formula gives:

Ep = 64 kg × 9.8 m/s2 × 5,334 m

Ep = 64 × 9.8 × 5,334

Ep = 3,333,504 J

So, the gravitational potential energy of the person in Aucanquilca is approximately 3,333,504 joules (J).