Answer:
U = 5.37*10^33 J
Explanation:
The gravitational potential energy between two bodies is given by:
[tex]U_{1,2}=-G\frac{m_1m_2}{r_{1,2}}[/tex]
G: Cavendish's constant = 6.67*10^-11 m^3/kg.s
For three bodies the total gravitational potential energy is:
[tex]U_{T}=U_{1,2}+U_{1,3}+U_{2,3}\\\\U_{T}=-G[\frac{m_1m_2}{r_{1,2}}+\frac{m_1m_3}{r_{1,3}}+\frac{m_2m_3}{r_{2,3}}][/tex]
BY replacing the values of the parameters for 1->earth, 2->moon and 3->sun you obtain:
[tex]U_{T}=-(6.67*10^{-11}m^3/kg.s)[\frac{(5.98*10^{24}kg)(7.36*10^{22}kg)}{3.84*10^{8}m}+\\\\\frac{(5.98*10^{24}kg)(1.99*10^{30}kg)}{1.496*10^{11}m}+\frac{(7.36*10^{22}kg)(1.99*10^{30}kg)}{1.496*10^{11}m-3.84*10^8m}]\\\\U_{T}=5.37*10^{33}J[/tex]
hence, the total gravitational energy is 5.37*10^33 J