The Earth is a relatively small object compared to the vastness of the universe. In terms of the universe's total volume, the Earth occupies an extremely tiny fraction. However, let's consider a different measure: the observable universe.
The observable universe refers to the portion of the universe that we can potentially observe from Earth, given the current age of the universe and the limitations imposed by the speed of light. Estimates suggest that the observable universe has a radius of about 46.5 billion light-years.
To calculate the percentage of the observable universe that the Earth occupies, we can compare the volume of the Earth to the volume of a sphere with a radius of 46.5 billion light-years. However, it's important to note that the Earth is not at the center of the observable universe, so this calculation is only an approximation.
The volume of a sphere is given by the formula (4/3)πr^3. Assuming the radius of the Earth is approximately 6,371 kilometers (or 3,959 miles), the volume of the Earth is about 1.083 x 10^12 cubic kilometers (or 2.598 x 10^11 cubic miles).
If we compare this to the volume of a sphere with a radius of 46.5 billion light-years (which is an extremely large radius), the Earth's volume would be infinitesimally small. Therefore, the percentage of the observable universe that the Earth occupies would be incredibly minuscule—virtually zero.
It's important to understand that the Earth, while significant to us as our home, is a tiny part of the vast cosmos.