What is Gravitational potential: Definition and 388 Discussions

In classical mechanics, the gravitational potential at a location is equal to the work (energy transferred) per unit mass that would be needed to move an object to that location from a fixed reference location. It is analogous to the electric potential with mass playing the role of charge. The reference location, where the potential is zero, is by convention infinitely far away from any mass, resulting in a negative potential at any finite distance.
In mathematics, the gravitational potential is also known as the Newtonian potential and is fundamental in the study of potential theory. It may also be used for solving the electrostatic and magnetostatic fields generated by uniformly charged or polarized ellipsoidal bodies.

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  1. N

    Calculating Gravitational Potential Energy: A to B

    Forces & Fields (a) calculate the gravatational potential pf a point A on the surface of the Earth (b) what is the gravatational potential of a point B, 1000km above A? (c) How much energy is expended if an object of mass 10kg were to just reach point B from A? I know the eq. for...
  2. S

    Gravitational Potential Energy and Springs

    A 520 kg object is released from rest at an altitude of 800 km above the north pole of the earth. Ignore atmospheric friction. The speed of the object as it strikes the earth’s surface, in km/s, is closest to: a.3.7----b. 2.7---c.1.9-----d. 4.0------e. 2.3 Conservation of energy, where...
  3. B

    Gravitational potential energy

    A 5.2 kg particle and a 2.4 kg particle have a gravitational attraction of magnitude 2.3E-12 N. Gravitational potential energy is -4.40e-11J and r=19.03m If you were to triple the distance between these particles, how much work is done by you on the particles? My biggest problem here is...
  4. M

    Calculate the gravitational potential energy of a rocket

    Hi, I need to calculate the gravitational potential energy of a rocket that's 500km above the surface of Earth (rocket has a mass of 500kg). What formula would I use, and how would I calculate it? Any help is appreciated, Thanks.
  5. B

    Gravitational Potential Energy of a swing

    A 395 N child is in a swing that is attached to ropes 1.8 m long. Find the gravitational potential energy of the child+Earth system relative to the child's lowest position when the ropes make a 30° angle with the vertical. What I did with this problem is I drew a diagram and then figured that...
  6. F

    Gravitational Potential Energy formula

    Hello all. I'm studying for sat 2 physics but I still don't understand the formula for gravitational potential in outer space. U = -Gm1m2/r Can anyone explain this to me? Particularly why G is negative and r is used instead of r-squared. Newton was such a genius. :bugeye:
  7. S

    Gravitational Potential Energy of a planet

    I'd be grateful if someone can help me with this problem - Zero, a hypothetical planet, has a mass of 4.4 × 10^23 kg, a radius of 3.2 × 10^6 m, and no atmosphere. A 2.4 kg space probe is to be launched vertically from its surface. (a) If the probe is launched with an initial energy of 7.4 ×...
  8. E

    Gravitational potential of a point within a hollow sphere

    Hi, I know that if you have a hollow sphere of some finite mass, when you place an object inside it, it experiences no gravitation force. Does this mean that the point also has no gravitational potential energy? thread title should be "Gravitational" not "Gravitional"
  9. K

    Gravitational Force, the derivative of Gravitational Potential Energy?

    For the equation: U=\frac{-GMm}{h} Where h is the distance between the center of masses M and m. In Calculus, they teach you derivatives. The derivative of U with respect to h is: dU=d\left(\frac{-GMm}{h}\right) dU=\frac{GMm}{h^2} Which is the gravitational force. Were I to apply this...
  10. H

    Gravitational Potential Energy Calculation for Satellite in Orbit

    Question: Calculate the gain of gravitational potential energy of a satelite of mass 200kg between launching and when it is in orbit at a height of 1.2 * 10^6m above the Earth's surface. (R=6.4*10^6) I approach this question using the equation V=-GM/r . Since the mass of Earth is not given...
  11. M

    Gravitational potential energy negative?

    Can kinetic energy of a system or gravitational potential energy be negative? I am reading about the two but its very complex and can't seem to describe why.
  12. K

    Gravitational Potential and Satellite Motion

    Astronomers observing a distant solar system have noticed a planet orbiting a star with a period of 4.44x107 s. The distance from the planet to the star is 4.28x1011 m. Calculate the mass of the star, in kg. ihave used v = 2*pi*r/T and v=(2Gm/r)^1/2 i get 8.75e18 is this the way to...
  13. E

    Gravitational Potential Energy of astronaut

    A 120kg astronaut stands on the surface of an asteroid of radius 600m. The astrunaut leaves the surface with 15J of kinetic energy and reaches a maximum height of 300m above the surface. What is the mass of the asteroid? (Answer: 3.4*1012kg) At the maximum height, all of the kinetic energy...
  14. N

    Determine the Gravitational potential energy

    Question A Skier with a mass of 65.0 kg. Including equipment, starts from rest and accelerates down a slope. The slope is 27.0 m higher at the top than the bottom. The work done on the skier by the kinetic friction is 1.20 x 10^4 J. How would I determine the Gravitational potential energy...
  15. M

    Computing gravitational potential for a point inside the distribution

    The gravitational potential, U, can be calculated at any point, \[ {\rm{\vec r}} \], for a mass density distribution, \[ {\rm{\rho (r)}} \], using the formula: \[ {\rm{U = - }}\int_{{\rm{all space}}} {G\frac{{{\rm{\rho }}({\rm{\vec r')}}}}{{\left| {{\rm{ \vec r - \vec r' }}}...
  16. A

    Difficult gravitational potential problem

    I don't even know where to start: Assume the Earth's oribt about the sun is circular. Calculate the work required to launch a 1kg probe into the Earth's orbit around the sun, but on the opposite side of the orbit.
  17. W

    Gravitational potential energy question

    The first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth was Sputnik I, launched October 4, 1957. The mass of Sputnik I was 83.5 kg, and its distances from the center of the Earth at apogee and perigee were approximately 7370 km and 6560 km, respectively. Find the difference in gravitational potential...
  18. L

    Gravitational Potential Energy

    Okay I understand somewhat of this topic of grav potential energy but i got stumped on this one question. I am to find the mass of a satellite orbiting Earth with the given variables of (F)(units: kN) which is the force the sattelite attracts the earth, and given the gravitational potential...
  19. H

    Problem involvining Kinetic and gravitational potential energy

    Hello. I'm in gr.11 physics, and we are currently working on Kinetic and gravitational potential energy. We have been asked to create a procedure which shows how gravitational potential energy is turned into kinetic energy(afterwards we will do calculations and such showing the relationshi). We...
  20. A

    Surface of Equal Gravitational Potential

    In my introductory physics class, we were given a problem to find the equation of the surface between the Earth and the Sun where the gravitational potential is equal. At first (without working anything out), it seems that it might be some sort of ellipsoid or paraboloid. For now, I'm just...
  21. E

    Gravitational potential energy homework

    A climber's gravitational potential energy increases from 14000J to 21000J while climbing a cliff. She expends 18000J of energy during this activity. What is the efficiency of this process? A) 3% B) 39% C) 61% D) 97% Here is what I did. Wpg = ∆Epg = Epg2-Epg1 = 21000-14000 =...
  22. S

    Gravitational Potential Definition

    In my textbook, the definition of the Gravitational Potential, V is defined as :" the gravitational potential of a point in a gravitational field is the work done per unit mass by the pull of gravity to bring a body from infinity to that point. " Who make this definition ? As i know...
  23. F

    Gravitational Potential Energy and force

    The gravitational potential energy (U) of an object, from some reference point - such as the surface of the earth, is defined as the amount of work required to move the object from the reference point to its position. The force of gravity is given by: F = -\frac{GMm}{r^2} where r is...
  24. M

    Gravitational Potential Energy: Does it Really Rise?

    EP = mgh as an object moves further and further away, the value of g decreases and approaches 0.. if this is true, then wouldn't potential energy approach 0 as well? According to my book, this is not true, the gravitational potential energy constantly rises the further 'up' you go If...
  25. U

    Gravitational potential energy of the moon

    How much work is done by the moon's gravitational field as a 1000kg meteor comes from outer space and impacts the moon's surface? all I have to do is: U=-\frac{Gm_1m_2}{r} where _{m_1} is the mass of the moon, _{m_2} is the mass of the meteor, and _{r} is the radius of the moon. is that...
  26. C

    Gravitational Potential and Total Energy

    Two stars with the mass and radius of the sun are separated by distance 10*r_sun, measured between their centers. A 10,000 kg space capsule moves along a line between the stars. Suppose the space capsule is at rest 1.0 m closer to one star than the other. What will be the speed of the space...
  27. E

    Gravitational Potential of a Chargeless Particle Confined in a Box | Einstone

    What is the gravitational potential produced by a chargeless particle confined in a box if the particle is in a stationary state ( for the nonce,in the lowest energy state)? Thanking you, Einstone.
  28. Andrew Mason

    Does earth tidal friction use up or add to the moon's gravitational potential energy?

    I am a little puzzled by the following: The moon in causing Earth tides causes the Earth to generate heat loss due to friction and slows down the Earth rotation. This decreases the angular momentum of the earth. The angular momentum of the Earth and moon system combined cannot change. So the...
  29. S

    Question regarding gravitational potential

    I have my question and solution in the attachment that followed.
  30. S

    Question regarding gravitational potential

    I have my solution and question in the attchment that followed.
  31. V

    Mastering physics help Gravitational Potential Energy

    can anyone help me with this problem A shaft is drilled from the surface to the center of the earth. Make the rather unrealistic assumption that the density of the Earth is uniform. With this approximation, the gravitational force on an object with mass m, that is inside the Earth at a...
  32. S

    Gravitational potential energy

    A 70.0 kg skier rides a 2860 m long lift to the top of a mountain. The lift makes an angle of 14.8° with the horizontal. What is the change in the skier's gravitational potential energy? What equation would I use to solve this problem?
  33. S

    Electrostatic and gravitational potential energy question

    Hi all, I have a few questions that I'd appreciate some guidance on. There are two identical dust particles:- mass 13ug charge +9.8E-15 C electrostatic potential energy 8.7E-17 J gravitational potential energy 1.1E-24 J The mass is given in the question, the energies I calculated...
  34. D

    Confusion about Gravitational Potential

    Heya's Im a bit confused reguarding gravitational potential energy. I've seen 2 different calculations U(h) = mgh where h is the height above the ground. and U = -GMm/r (off the top of my head, havnt got my notes here with me right now) Could anyone help clear this up for me? Why...
  35. A

    Gravitational potential energy of planet

    Find U, the gravitational potential energy of the object at a distance R from the center of the planet, with the gravitational potential energy taken to be zero when the object is infinitely far away from the planet. Express your answer in terms of R, m, M, and G, the universal gravitational...
  36. O

    Gravitational potential and kinetic energy

    does anyone know where i can find out about What the future usage of gravitational potential and kinetic energy is. this is very ergent so if you know can you please write back within the next day.
  37. M

    Find the gravitational potential energy

    Given: g=9.81 m/s^2. A 41.7 kg child is in a swing that is attached to robes 2.16 m long. Find the gravitational potiental energy associated with the child relative to the child's lowest position under the following conditions: B. when the ropes make a 34.7 degree angle with the vertical...
  38. denian

    Is Gravitational Field Always Directed Towards the Object Creating It?

    gravitational potential, V = -GM/r the negative sign is just to show that gravitational force is an attractive force. true or false?
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