How does gravitational potential energy (U) change when the distance from the center of the Earth increases? (2020)
Practice Questions
1 question
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
Gravitational potential energy increases as the distance from the center of the Earth increases.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: How does gravitational potential energy (U) change when the distance from the center of the Earth increases? (2020)
Solution: Gravitational potential energy increases as the distance from the center of the Earth increases.
Steps: 5
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.
