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W Wo or rk k D Do on ne e A Ag ga ai in ns st t G Gr ra av vi it ty y
If the body of mass m is moved from the plane of earth to a point at distance h above the plane of
earth, then modification in potential energy or work done against gravity will be
1 2
1 1
W U GMm
r r
(
= A =
(


1 1
W GMm
R R h
(
=
(
+

[As r
1
= R and r
2
= R + h]

2
GMmh mgh
W
h h
1 R 1
R R
= =
| |
+ +

\
[As
2
GM
R
= g]
(i) When the height h is not negligible and is comparable to radius of the earth, then we will
use above formula.
(ii) If h = nR then
n
W mgR
n 1
| |
=

+ \
(iii) If h = R then
1
W mgR
2
=
(iv) If h is very short as related to radius of the earth then term h/R can be neglected
From
mgh
W mgh
1 h/ R
= =
+
h
As 0
R
(

(

GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL &FIELD DUE TO SEVERAL OBJECTS
Causing Shape
Gravitational
Potential (V)
Gravitational
Field (I or E)
Graph
V vs R
POINT MASS
m
M
F
g
r
Test Mass
Source Point
GM
V
r

=
2
GM
IorE
r
=
V
Distance (r)
AT A POINT ON THE AXIS OF RING
R
M
dl
Y
Z
O
dgsinu
d
g
c
o
s
u
u
P
X
x
dg
-
2 2
GMr
V
R r

=
+
0 s r s
2 2 3/ 2
GMr
E(r)
(R r )

=
+
2 2
Gm
R r

+
V
r
ROD: 1. AT AN AXIAL POINT
A B
L
-
P
r
M
(a)
-
dg
L
P
dx x
(b)
r
A
GM L
V In 1
L r
| |
= +

\
2
GM 1
E
L
r
1
r
| |

=

+
\
r
V
2. AT AN EQUATORIAL POINT
u
dgcosu
dgsinu
P
M
x
dx
A B
dg
r
L
2 2
2GM
V
r L 4r
=
+
dv
E
dr
=
CIRCULAR ARC
A
B
dgcosu
dgsinu
dg
R
du
du
u
|
O
M
R
L
2 GM
V
L
t
=
2
2 GM
E
L
t
=
V
Distance (R)
HOLLOW SPHERE
-
M
R
GM
V(r)
r

=
(r R) >
GM
V(r)
R

=
(r R) =
2
GM
E(r)
r
=
(r R) >
2
GM
E(r)
R
(r R)
=
=
V
R
R
SOLID SPHERE
-
GM
V(r)
R

=
(r R) >
3 2
3
GM
V(r) (1.5R 1.5R )
R

=
(r R) s
2
GM
E(r)
r
=
3
GMr
E(r)
R
=
r R s
V
R
LONG THREAD
u
dgcosu
P
dg
dgsinu
O
x
dx
r
kg/ m
V =
2G
r

=
RELATIONBETWEENGRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL (V) AND INTENSITY (I OR E)
Gravitational potential is a field function. It depends on the position of the point where potential is
desired. Gravitational field and the gravitational potential are related by the following relation.
E

= Gradient V = grad V
OR
dv
E
dr
=