What is Gravitational Potential and How Does it Vary with Distance?

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Gravitational potential is defined as the work done in bringing a unit mass from infinity to a specific point in a gravitational field. The formula for gravitational potential is -GM/r, where the negative sign indicates that gravitational force is attractive, and it establishes that potential at infinity is zero. As one moves closer to a mass, gravitational potential decreases, meaning it becomes more negative. The maximum gravitational potential occurs at an infinite distance from the mass, where it is defined as zero. Understanding these concepts is crucial for A-level physics students, particularly in relation to gravitational forces and energy.
chocofingers
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Hello everyone, :)

I have yet another queries in physics.

What actually is gravitational potential ? I know the definition that it is the work done in bringing unit mass from infinity to the particular point. But I don't understand what actually it means...
Plus the definition of gravitational potential ... gravitational potential = - (GM/r^2) Now what's the importance of negative sign in this definition...

Plus where is the G.potential maximum and how does it vary with distance from centre of Earth to the surface of Earth and beyond it ?

I am an A-level student giving physics from CIE board so please explain me with in these limits ... ANy extra info is very well appreciated...

Thankz in advance :)
 
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nobody knows about gravitational potential :S... Anybody /??
 
Wikipedia is a good starting point:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_potential

It 'represents the work (energy) per unit mass as an object moves to that location from a reference location'.

As the potential to do work increases with distance, what potential should infinite distance have? It was decided to define that potential as zero and the negative sign is then required to make the potential high up more than close to the Earth.

For an older related discussion of gravity inside the Earth, see
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=207148
 
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thank you
 
chocofingers said:
Hello everyone, :)

Plus the definition of gravitational potential ... gravitational potential = - (GM/r^2) Now what's the importance of negative sign in this definition...

and it's not r^2, it's r! :D

-\frac{GM}{r}

And the minus thingy is Gravitational force is always an attraction force. So it's minus. That's one explanation. There's another. It is generally considered the potential at infinity is zero and when to move a mass to another mass from that infinity point which is imaginary, that other mass do the work to pull.
 
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