If the distance from the center of the Earth is doubled, how does the gravitational potential change?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
If the distance from the center of the Earth is doubled, how does the gravitational potential change?
It doubles.
It halves.
It becomes zero.
It quadruples.
The gravitational potential is inversely proportional to the distance, so if the distance is doubled, the potential halves.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: If the distance from the center of the Earth is doubled, how does the gravitational potential change?
Solution: The gravitational potential is inversely proportional to the distance, so if the distance is doubled, the potential halves.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand that gravitational potential depends on distance from the center of the Earth.
Step 2: Know that gravitational potential is inversely proportional to distance. This means that as distance increases, gravitational potential decreases.
Step 3: If the distance from the center of the Earth is doubled, it means you are moving further away.
Step 4: Since the distance is doubled, the gravitational potential will change according to the inverse relationship.
Step 5: If the distance is doubled, the gravitational potential becomes half of what it was before.
