Gravitation

LECTURE 3 Gravitational Potential

r

m
V = Gm
r
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Gravitation
LECTURE 3 Gravitational Potential
r

m
V = Gm
r
Gravitational Potential Energy
Gravitational Potential Energy
Gravitational potential energy difference between 2 points is the negative of
work done by gravitation field in moving a mass slowly from one point to
another.
B UB – UA = – Wfield A→B
or
UB – UA = Wexternal A→B

A rB

rA
Expression for Gravitational Potential Energy
ΔU = –Wgravity B
dr

= – ∫F g ⋅ dr Fgravity A

negative
rA rB
r
B

UB – UA = ∫ GMm
r r
dr
2
A

1 – 1
⇒ UB – UA = –GMm
rB rA
If particle is taken from A to ∞

Taking U ⎜r = ∞ = 0
1 1
UB – UA = –GMm –
rB rA
1 1
U ∞ – UA = –GMm –
r∞ rA

–1
–UA = –GMm
rA

–GMm Gravitational Potential energy at r distance

UA =
rA from the centre of the earth (r • Re)

–GMem It is amount of work done by external agent to

OR Ur =
r bring a body of mass m from ∞ to distance r
slowly in the influence of gravitational field
 Potential Energy of Point Mass System

-G m1m2
U=
r

Work done to bring m2 from ∞ to r distance from m1 by external agent.

Gravitational Potential Energy of a System of Particle

m2
Utotal = U31 + U21 + U23
d

m1 m3
3d
Gravitational potential energy of a system of particle

m2

m1 m3
m1m2 m1m3 m2m3 F
Usystem = –G + +
r12 r13 r23

Energy in Bringing second Energy in Bringing third

particle in the presence of particle in the presence of
first particle first two particles
 Example Find the velocity of mass 2m, when their separation reduces to d/2 ?

√ GM rest
A. rest
2d

√ GM m 2m
B. d
d

C. √ 2GM
3d

D. √ GM
3d
 rest
rest

m 2m
d

2v v
m 2m
d/2
 Example 3 identical masses are released from rest, what will be their velocities when
the separation b/w any 2 masses becomes a/2

rest

A.
√ GM
a
m

B.
√ 2GM
a
a a

C. √ GM
2a

D. √ 2GM
3a
rest
m
a
m
rest
 INITIAL FINAL

rest

m m

a a a/2 v
a/2

v v
m m
a/2
m m
rest a rest
 INITIAL FINAL

rest

m
m

a a a/2 v
a/2

v v
m m
a/2
m m
rest a rest
 Example What should be the minimum velocity u, that should be imparted such
that the particle escapes the gravitational field of planet A and lands on
planet B.

A.
2
3 √ GM
5R

B. 5
3 √ GM
5R
8
C. 3 √ GM
5R

3
D. 4
√ GM
5R
Planet A Planet B
 INITIAL FINAL

rest

A B
Gravitational Potential & Acceleration
due to gravity
Gravitational Potential

∞
Gravitational Potential (V)
It is defined as the amount of work done by external agent in bringing the body of unit
mass slowly from infinity to that point

It is a scalar quantity
U
∴ Gravitational potential V = SI Unit of ‘V’ = Joule / kg
m

W U CGS Units of ‘V’ = erg / cm

V = =
m m
– GMm
= – GMm U =
r
rm

= – GM
V r [M1L2T–2]
Dimension of ‘V’ = = [M0L2T–2]
[M1]
Gravitational Potential (V)
The gravitational potential at any point in gravitational field is defined as
the work done to bring a unit mass from infinity to that point.

m0
r

r=∞
M
Gravitational Field Strength due to a Sphere

Solid Sphere Hollow Sphere

M M
 Gravitational Field Strength - Hollow Sphere

CASE - 1
r>R

M,R

r
 Gravitational Field Strength - Hollow Sphere

CASE - 2

r=R

M,R
 Gravitational Field Strength - Hollow Sphere

CASE - 3 x<R

M,R
Hollow Sphere - Summary

O x
Hollow Sphere - Summary

g
GM/R2

g ∝ 1/x2

O
 Gravitational Field Strength - Solid Sphere
CASE - 1

r>R

M,R

r
 Gravitational Field Strength - Solid Sphere
CASE - 2

r=R
M,R
 Gravitational Field Strength - Solid Sphere
CASE - 3

x<R

M,R
Now we can say that the given solid sphere
is divided in two parts. One is an inner
solid sphere of radius x and outer radius R.
Here at point P gravitational field exist only
due to the inner sphere as due to outer
shell, we have discussed in previous
section that, no gravitational field exist at m
R
interior points due to outer shell.
x
Thus net gravitational field strength at P
can be obtained by considering the inner P
sphere of radius x as a point mass at the
centre. So gravitational field at P can be
given as
Solid Sphere - Summary

GM/R2

g ∝ 1/x2
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