A nervous tightrope walker calculates his gravitational potential energy based o

Question

A nervous tightrope walker calculates his gravitational potential energy based on his height about the ground, 50m, his mass 60kg, and approximating g as 10 m/s^2. Using the equation U=mgh, he determines his gravitational potential energy to be 3600J. Worried that that seems like a lot of energy to dissipate if he were to fall, he then tries to imagine he is walking on a tightrope of the same height on Mars instead. Explain how this would change his calculated gravitational potential energy (no need for numbers-- just explain why it might increase or decrease his calculation) and why his Martian gravitational potential energy would be more reassuring to imagine.

Explanation / Answer

On mars the acceleration due to gravity is lesser than that on earth so the gravitational potential energy decreases and hence when he falls down he will have lesser kinetic energy and hence lesser velocity

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