Answer to Essential Question 8.3: The direction of the gravitational field at a particular point is
represented by the direction of the field vector at that point (or the ones near it if the point does
not correspond exactly to the location of a field vector). The relative strength of the field is
indicated by the darkness of the arrow. The larger the field’s magnitude, the darker the arrow.
8-4 Gravitational Potential Energy
The expression we have been using for gravitational potential energy up to this point,
, applies when the gravitational field is uniform. In general, the equation for
gravitational potential energy is:
. (Equation 8.4: Gravitational potential energy, in general)
This gives the energy associated with the gravitational interaction between two objects, of
mass m and M, separated by a distance r. The minus sign tells us the objects attract one another.
Consider the differences between the mgh equation for gravitational potential energy and
the more general form. First, when using Equation 8.4 we are no longer free to define the
potential energy to be zero at some convenient point. Instead, the gravitational potential energy is
zero when the two objects are infinitely far apart. Second, when using Equation 8.4 we find that
the gravitational potential energy is always negative, which is certainly not what we found with
mgh. That should not worry us, however, because what is critical is how potential energy
changes as objects move with respect to one another. If you drop your pen and it falls to the floor,
for instance, both forms of the gravitational potential energy equation give consistent results for
the change in the pen’s gravitational potential energy.
Equation 8.4 also reinforces the idea that, when two objects are interacting via gravity,
neither object has its own gravitational potential energy. Instead, gravitational potential energy is
associated with the interaction between the objects.
EXPLORATION 8.4 – Calculate the total potential energy in a system
Three balls, of mass m,
2m, and 3m, are placed in a line,
as shown in Figure 8.9. What is
the total gravitational potential
energy of this system?
To determine the total
potential energy of the system,
consider the number of interacting pairs. In this case there are three ways to pair up the objects, so
there are three terms to add together to find the total potential energy. Because energy is a scalar,
we do not have to worry about direction. Using a subscript of 1 for the ball of mass m, 2 for the
ball of mass 2m, and 3 for the ball of mass 3m, we get:
.
Key ideas for gravitational potential energy: Potential energy is a scalar. The total gravitational
potential energy of a system of objects can be found by adding up the energy associated with
each interacting pair of objects. Related End-of-Chapter Exercises: 25, 29, 40.
Chapter 8 – Gravity Page 8 - 8
Figure 8.9: Three equally spaced balls placed in a line.
