change in gravitational energy

[denian]

here's a question.

a body of mass m at a surface of the Earth is brought to a point a distance 2R ( R = radius of the Earth ) from the centre of the Earth.

what is the change in gravitational energy of the body. will the gravitational energy of the body increased or decreased?

[HallsofIvy]

What do you mean by the "gravitational energy" of a body? The gravitational potential energy?

The potential energy changes, in moving from R to 2R, by the work done to move the mass: the integral (from R to 2R) of -GmM/r2 dr= (GmM)/R.