Gravitational Potential and Field: Definition, Formula, and Example

Gravitational potential energies refer to energy stored by an object.  The vertical position or height of any object influences the store of energy. Energy storage occurs due to gravitational attraction.  In layman’s terms, gravitational potential energy is a source of power related to gravity or gravity gradient.

What is gravitational potential energy?

The gravitational pull, sometimes known as gravity, is perhaps the most critical force in the world. The gravitational potential energies have arisen from the law of gravity. The inverse square gravity force approaches zero for mass located at large distances. 

The gravitational potential energies of a planet will be negative as the gravity will work positively during the approach of mass. The negative potential energies indicate a bound state, after mass approaches a large object.  In this case, the energy will be trapped until an external force allows energy escape. 

A mass in a gravitational influence produces a force which helps gravity to transfer energies into storage. Potential energy is the name given to this reserve. In basic terms, gravitational energy is the potential that an item has or acquires due to this shift in its location while under gravitational influence. 

Consider a book lying on top of a table to grasp the fundamental notions of potential and kinetic energy. The book on the table will attract gravitational pull as it is located at distance. Although the book placed on the floor will not fall as it is located nearest to the gravitational force. 

Although the books on the bookshelf have a gravitational potential energy, the ones on the floor don’t always have one. The gravitational potential formula connects mass (m), gravitational acceleration on the Earth (g), and height above the planet’s surface (h) to the gravitationally stored energy.

The most common form of gravitational potential energy formula is U= -GMm/r. In G refers to constant gravitation, M refers to mass of the object, r refers to distance of object centres. This formula often is used to calculate escape velocity from the gravity of the earth 

Fields of gravitation

A magnetic pull draws all the masses together. This force is referred to as the gravitational force or weight. The gravitational conditions of the Earth determine the gravity of all items on Earth. The gravitational field is used when pressure is put on the object from a distance. Gravitational field lines allow us to see the forces that would operate on an item at a specific location concerning another gravitational object.

The intensity of the electric fields is equal to the magnitude of the force. The orientation of the electric fields reveals the speed and direction that a volume would encounter if put at a particular spot. 

Gravitational potential energy formula

The gravitational potential energy formula can be represented as:

GPE = m⋅g⋅h 

Where,

• Potential energy is quantified in joules (J).
• The mass in kilograms is indicated by the symbol m (kg).
• h denotes the height in metres (m).
• Gravity gradient strength (g) [newtons per kilogram]

The gravitational acceleration on Earth is (nearly) constant equally on the ground and overviews the planet’s centre of mass: g = 9.81 m/s2. As a result, the only data you’ll need to compute GPE is the object’s mass and height above the surface.

Practise question

Consider a 10 kg load suspended by a drive shaft at a height of 5 metres. What is its gravitational potential energy?

Simply substituting the known values into the equation yields:

GPE = m⋅g⋅h 

m = 10 kg, 

g = 9.81 m/s2,  

h = 5 m 

GPE = 490.5J

We learn that a body’s latent heat is identified as the potential absorbed by the skin at that particular location. When external forces modify the body’s position, the acceleration of the object is equivalent to the quantity of work performed on the body, primarily by pressures.

The work done by the gravitational force remains constant along the path. Thus,  the shift of mass towards the right, makes it a conservative pressure. In perpetuity, the gravity force on a body is zero thereby its gravitational potential is zero, which would be referred to as a reference point.

Conclusion

The energy owned or obtained by an object due to a change in its location while in a gravitational field is known as gravitational potential energy. In simple words, gravitational acceleration energy is a type of energy that is connected to gravity or gravitational force. 

The article explores different concepts related to the topic which includes gravitational potential energy, fields of gravity, gravity potential energy formula and practice questions.