## Hashir 2 years ago Explain gravitational potential..

1. UnkleRhaukus

the higher the object is the more work it could do if it fell to the surface ,

2. Hashir

and also explain the derivation of the formula |dw:1344609658778:dw|

3. Hashir

4. UnkleRhaukus

what is $$\gamma$$

5. Hashir

|dw:1344609720428:dw|

6. hba

Gravitational potential energy is energy an object possesses because of its position in a gravitational field.

7. Hashir

i need gravitational potential not Gravitational potential energy

8. Hashir

i know that it is the amount of work done for an object to move from infinity to a certain distance within a gravitational field

9. UnkleRhaukus

$G.P.=U=mgh=mg\gamma$

10. Hashir

and the gravitational field is non uniform ...

11. Hashir

all i wanted to know was why is gravitational potential always negative and not positive

12. Hashir

no....

13. Hashir

i guess its because the work is not done ..... actually the energy is extracted

14. Hashir

at infinite distance ... gravitational potential =0 and then when we move away from infinity the gravitational potential becomes negative

15. hba

From the work done against the gravity force in bringing a mass in from infinity where the potential energy is assigned the value zero, the expression for gravitational potential energy is negative

16. salini

it is the work done by an exterrnal force(lets say me) to bring a body from infinity(0 potential) to that point of interest since always we are doing work in the direction of gravitational force it can also be written in its terms but the the -ve work part comes here as we are bringing it from infinity the math of getting -ve sign:while integrating GM/r^2 the r^2 brings -ve sign the physics behind -ve sign:the force is one of attraction(binding the bodies) to appreciate this concept consider moving a body from A TO B (higher potential to lower potential) then u will get potential energy difference=Uf-Ui=-ve|dw:1344612622588:dw| that circle is earth

17. Vincent-Lyon.Fr

The difference between 'Gravitational Potential' and 'Gravitational potential Energy' is that there is no reference to the test-mass in the former. So, if you derive it using work done by the gravitational force, you will end up first with the GpE: GpE = $$-G\Large \frac{mM}{r}$$ Then GP = GpE/m =$$-\Large\frac {GM}{r}$$