7.2 Gravitational fields Flashcards
What is gravty?
The universal attractive force acting between all matter.
What is the magnitude of gravitational force between two point masses?
(aka Newton’s law of gravity)
What do the letters represent in this equation?
Draw an uniform gravitational field.
Draw a radial gravitational field around a mass.
Define gravitational field strength.
Force per unit mass exerted on a test mass within the field.
What is the magnitude of gravitational field strength in a radial field?
What do the letters represent in this equation?
Define gravitational potential.
The work done per unit mass, moving a test mass from infinity to a specific point.
Why is the gravitational potential always negative?
Gravitational potential is defined as 0 at infinity. Work must be done reach infinity.
Define gravitational potential difference.
The difference in the gravitational potential at two points in a gravitational field.
What is the work done when moving a mass in a gravitational field?
(Moving a mass between two points)
What do the letters represent in this equation?
What is an equipotential surface?
A surface in which every point has the same potential.
Is work done when moving a mass along an equipotential surface?
No.
(Since the potential difference is zero)
Draw an uniform gravitational field with equipotentials.
Draw a radial gravitational field with equipotentials.
What is the equation for gravitational potential in a radial field?
What do the letters represent in this equation?
Define gravitational potential energy.
Component of an object’s energy due to its position in a gravitational field.
What is the gravitational potential energy in an uniform field?
What do the letters represent in this equation?
What is the gravitational potential energy in a radial field.
What do the letters represent in this equation?