Gravitational Potential Energy.

Gravitational Potential Energy is energy stored within an object due to its height above the surface of the earth. In order for an object to be lifted vertically upward, work done must against the downward pull of gravity. The amount of energy used to lift the object against is then stored as gravitational potiential energy. The general form of the gravitational potential energy is:

Where G is the gravitational constant which is equal to 6.67428 X 10-11 m3 kg-1 s-2. Or 6.67428 X 10-11 N(m/kg)2. M is the mass of the attracting body, and r is the distance between their centers. This equation is actually the derivation from the equation . This equation only valid when the particle is near the Earths surface where the gravitational force is constant. The gravitational force between two particles varies as 1/ r2 so, more general potential energy function which is either one of that particles is valid without any restriction of having to be near the Earths surface. Then it will differentiate from The change in the gravitational potential energy due to the displacement of the system is the negative work done which is:

The Gravitational potential energy function can be evaluate from the equation above. Assume that a particle of mass m, is moving between the point A and B above the Earths surface. The particle is the subject of gravitational force by the law of gravitational :

The negative sign above shows that the force is attractive. By substituting the equation above into the equation of the change of gravitational potential energy. So we can calculate the change of the gravitational potential energy function for the particle Earth system is equal to

With the choice of the zero value for the initial potential energy at infinite initial distance, where the force approaches to zero, the gravitational potential energy is actually the work done that bring the object from infinity to radius . If so, we can get the gravitational potential energy is:-

Fg

ri
RE
B

Fg

rf
ME
particle of mass,m move From A to B above the earth Surface. A

For any pair of particles varies as

where the force between them varies as

. From the

equation above, the gravitational potential energy is negative because of the attractive force and the potential energy is zero when the separation between them is at infinite.

Example: The mass of a planet is 5.0 x 1024 kg and its radius is 6.0 x 108 m. What is the energy required to bring a mass of 2.0 kg from the surface of the planet to outer surface? ( r for the surface of the planet to the outer surface is 400 km) Solution:

Where G = 6.67 X10-11 N(m/kg)2 r = 400 x103 + 6.0x 108 m = 6-004 x 108m ME = 5.0 x1024 kg m = 2 kg

(negative sign is ignore during calculated its because negative sign stand for attractive force)

Reference: From book John W. Jewett and Raymond A. Serway (2008). Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Seventh Edition, united kingdom: International Student Edition Poh Liong Yong and S. Nagappan (2007). Physics for Matriculation, Second Edition, Selangor: Penerbitan Oxford Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd.