How does gravitational potential energy (U) change when the distance from the ce
Practice Questions
Q1
How does gravitational potential energy (U) change when the distance from the center of the Earth increases? (2020)
It increases
It decreases
It remains constant
It becomes zero
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
How does gravitational potential energy (U) change when the distance from the center of the Earth increases? (2020)
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: Recognize that gravitational potential energy depends on the distance from the center of the Earth.
Step 3: Remember that as you move away from the center of the Earth, the distance increases.
Step 4: Know that when the distance from the center of the Earth increases, the gravitational pull decreases.
Step 5: Since gravitational potential energy increases with distance, we conclude that U increases as the distance from the center of the Earth increases.
Gravitational Potential Energy – Gravitational potential energy (U) is the energy an object possesses due to its position in a gravitational field, which increases with distance from the center of the Earth.
Distance and Gravitational Force – As the distance from the center of the Earth increases, the gravitational force decreases, affecting the potential energy calculation.
