Define Gravitational Potential Energy at point P.

work done in moving a test mass from infinity to a point P

work done in moving 1Kg from the floor to a point P

work done in moving a test mass from the floor to a point P

Work done in moving 1Kg from infinity to a point P

work done in moving a 1Kg from the the surface of the planet to a point P

work done in moving a test mass from the surface of the planet to a point P

Define Gravitational Potential at point P.

work done per unit mass in moving small point mass from infinity to a point P

work done per unit mass in moving small point mass from the floor to a point P

work done in moving a test mass from the floor to a point P

Work done in moving small point mass from infinity to a point P

work done in moving a small test mass from the the surface of the planet to a point P

work done per unit mass in moving a test mass from the surface of the planet to a point P

What is the field strength?

Force acting per unit mass on a point mass

Gravitational Potential Energy acting on a point mass.

Gravitational Potential Energy per unit mass acting on a point mass.

How is the gravitational field strength related to the gravitational potential?

Gravitational field strength = gravitational potential gradient

Gravitational field strength = gravitational potential

Gravitational field strength = gravitational potential energy

How can you calculate the potential at the surface of the earth?

Gravitational Potential = (gravitational field strength)x (radius of planet)

Gravitational Potential = gravitational field strength

Gravitational Potential = (gravitational field strength)/(Radius of planet)

What is the relationship between equipotential lines and lines of force.

the are perpendicular to each other

they are parallel to each other

Describe the lines of equipotential near to a large mass.

lines are concentric and spaced further apart from each other as they move away from the centre of the mass.

lines move radially away from the centre of the mass

lines are concentric and spaced equidistant from each other

9.2 Gravitational Field And Potential

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| By Gboulton

Gboulton

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Quizzes Created: 20 | Total Attempts: 8,824

Questions: 7 | Attempts: 113 | Updated: Mar 16, 2023

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Gravity is the force that pulls objects towards each other where a body with more mass has a higher gravitational pull. The space between these bodies is what is referred as gravitational field of an object. Having covered this topic fully, test your understanding by taking the simple quiz below.

Questions and Answers

1.

Define Gravitational Potential Energy at point P.
- A.
  
  Work done in moving 1Kg from the floor to a point P
- B.
  
  Work done in moving a test mass from the floor to a point P
- C.
  
  Work done in moving 1Kg from infinity to a point P
- D.
  
  Work done in moving a test mass from infinity to a point P
- E.
  
  Work done in moving a 1Kg from the the surface of the planet to a point P
- F.
  
  Work done in moving a test mass from the surface of the planet to a point P
Correct Answer
D. Work done in moving a test mass from infinity to a point P

Explanation
The correct answer is "work done in moving a test mass from infinity to a point P." This is because gravitational potential energy is defined as the work done in moving an object from infinity to a specific point in a gravitational field. The term "test mass" refers to a hypothetical mass that is used to measure gravitational potential energy without affecting the field itself.

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2.

Define Gravitational Potential at point P.
- A.
  
  Work done per unit mass in moving small point mass from the floor to a point P
- B.
  
  Work done in moving a test mass from the floor to a point P
- C.
  
  Work done in moving small point mass from infinity to a point P
- D.
  
  Work done per unit mass in moving small point mass from infinity to a point P
- E.
  
  Work done in moving a small test mass from the the surface of the planet to a point P
- F.
  
  Work done per unit mass in moving a test mass from the surface of the planet to a point P
Correct Answer
D. Work done per unit mass in moving small point mass from infinity to a point P

Explanation
The correct answer is "work done per unit mass in moving small point mass from infinity to a point P." This is because the gravitational potential at a point is defined as the work done per unit mass in moving a small point mass from infinity to that point. It represents the amount of work required to bring a unit mass from infinity to the given point against the gravitational force.

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3.

What is the field strength?
- A.
  
  Force acting on a point mass
- B.
  
  Force acting per unit mass on a point mass
- C.
  
  Gravitational Potential Energy acting on a point mass.
- D.
  
  Gravitational Potential Energy per unit mass acting on a point mass.
Correct Answer
B. Force acting per unit mass on a point mass

Explanation
The field strength refers to the force acting per unit mass on a point mass. This means that the field strength measures the intensity of the force experienced by a mass at a given point in a field. It is a measure of how strong the force is per unit mass.

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4.

How is the gravitational field strength related to the gravitational potential?
- A.
  
  Gravitational field strength = gravitational potential
- B.
  
  Gravitational field strength = gravitational potential energy
- C.
  
  Gravitational field strength = gravitational potential gradient
Correct Answer
C. Gravitational field strength = gravitational potential gradient

Explanation
The gravitational field strength is related to the gravitational potential gradient. The gravitational field strength represents the force experienced by an object due to gravity, while the gravitational potential gradient represents the change in gravitational potential per unit distance. Therefore, the gravitational field strength is directly proportional to the gravitational potential gradient, as a larger change in gravitational potential over a given distance would result in a stronger gravitational force.

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5.

How can you calculate the potential at the surface of the earth?
- A.
  
  Gravitational Potential = gravitational field strength
- B.
  
  Gravitational Potential = (gravitational field strength)/(Radius of planet)
- C.
  
  Gravitational Potential = (gravitational field strength)x (radius of planet)
Correct Answer
C. Gravitational Potential = (gravitational field strength)x (radius of planet)

Explanation
The potential at the surface of the earth can be calculated by multiplying the gravitational field strength by the radius of the planet. This is because the gravitational potential is directly proportional to both the gravitational field strength and the distance from the center of the planet. As the surface of the earth is at a fixed distance from its center, the potential can be calculated by multiplying these two values together.

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6.

What is the relationship between equipotential lines and lines of force.
- A.
  
  They are parallel to each other
- B.
  
  They are equidistant
- C.
  
  The are perpendicular to each other
Correct Answer
C. The are perpendicular to each other

Explanation
Equipotential lines and lines of force are perpendicular to each other. This means that at any point on an equipotential line, the electric potential remains constant, while the electric field (represented by lines of force) is always perpendicular to the equipotential lines. This relationship is a result of the fact that electric field lines always point from higher potential to lower potential, and therefore, they are perpendicular to the equipotential lines, which connect points of equal potential.

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7.

Describe the lines of equipotential near to a large mass.
- A.
  
  Lines move radially away from the centre of the mass
- B.
  
  Lines are concentric and spaced equidistant from each other
- C.
  
  Lines are concentric and spaced further apart from each other as they move away from the centre of the mass.
Correct Answer
C. Lines are concentric and spaced further apart from each other as they move away from the centre of the mass.

Explanation
The lines of equipotential near a large mass are concentric, meaning they form circles around the mass. These lines are spaced further apart from each other as they move away from the center of the mass. This can be explained by the fact that the gravitational field strength decreases with distance from the mass. As the distance from the mass increases, the gravitational potential decreases, causing the equipotential lines to be further apart.

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