Gravitational potential energy is the potential energy that a massive object has in relation to another massive object due to gravity. It is the energy possessed or acquired by an object due to a change in its position when it is present in a gravitational field. In simpler terms, it is the energy stored in an object due to its vertical position above the ground.
- Gravitational potential energy increases when two objects are brought further apart and decreases when they are brought closer together.
- The force between two point masses, $$m_1$$ and $$m_2$$, is given by Newtons law of gravitation: $$ F = \frac{{Gm_1m_2}}{{r^2}} $$ where $$G$$ is the gravitational constant and $$r$$ is the distance between the masses.
- The gravitational potential at a point in the gravitational field of a body is defined as the amount of work done in displacing a body of unit mass from infinity to that point in the field.
- Gravitational potential energy is usually represented by the symbol $$U_g$$.
Some examples of objects that possess gravitational potential energy include:
- An airplane moving above the Earth's surface.
- A bird flying above the Earth's surface.
- A kite above the Earth's surface.
- A man standing on a tall building.
