Which of the following statements about gravitational potential energy (U) is tr

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Question: Which of the following statements about gravitational potential energy (U) is true?

Options:

Correct Answer: U decreases as two masses move closer together

Solution:

Gravitational potential energy decreases as two masses move closer together, as U = -G * (m1 * m2) / r.

Which of the following statements about gravitational potential energy (U) is true?

Which of the following statements about gravitational potential energy (U) is true?

Step 1: Understand what gravitational potential energy (U) is. It is the energy an object has due to its position in a gravitational field.
Step 2: Know the formula for gravitational potential energy: U = -G * (m1 * m2) / r, where G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses, and r is the distance between the centers of the two masses.
Step 3: Recognize that as the distance (r) between the two masses decreases, the value of U becomes less negative (or increases).
Step 4: Conclude that gravitational potential energy decreases (becomes more negative) as the two masses move closer together.

No concepts available.