Gravitational potential

• what is gravitational potential energy?

  Energy stored in an object due to its position above the earth's surface = due to the force of gravity acting on an object
• ball being lifted onto a shelf:

  • using chemical energy to do this on the persons muscles -converted to gpe in the ball
  • ball now has a store of gpe
• ball dropping onto the ground:

  • gpe - thermal and kinetic energy
  • ball now has no gpe
• units for gpe?

  J
• units for mass?

  kg
• units for gfs?

  N/kg
• unit for height?

  m
• normal gfs?

  9.8N/kg
• A ball with a mass of 500g is lifted onto a shelf which is 1.5m above the ground. calculate the gravitational potential energy gained by the ball(g=9.8N/kg)?

  500g = divide by 1000=0.5

  0.5x 1.5 x 9.8=7.35J