Gravitational Fields Flashcards
What is a gravitational Field.
a region in space in which any mass will experience a force of attraction
Define Gravitational field strength (g)
the gravitational force exerted per unit mass at a point within a gravitational field
Define Gravitational potential
the work done per unit mass to move an object to that point from infinity
What are the units of gravitational potential
Joules per Kilogram
Define Gravitational potential energy
the energy of an object due to its position in a gravitational field.
Define Escape velocity
the minimum velocity at which an object has just enough energy to leave a specified gravitational field
Which direction is gravitational field strength always in?
points towards the centre of mass of the object creating the field
What are Geostationary satellites
a satellite in which the orbital period of the satellite is equal to the rotational period of the Earth
Why is gravitational potential negative?
gravitational potential is zero at infinity, because it requires no work to bring it from infinity to that position, so all values of gravitational potential are negative
