Gravitational field - Revision history

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported

2026-08-04T20:43:47Z

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energy>Jmdonev at 23:37, 7 July 2026

2026-07-07T23:37:47Z

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	[[Category:Done ~~2018~~-05-18]]		[[Category:Done 2026-08-01]]
	[[File:Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg\|300px\|thumb\|Figure 1. The Earth, and every other massive object, has a gravitational field that causes other massive objects to interact with it.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg\|300px\|thumb\|Figure 1. The Earth, and every other massive object, has a gravitational field that causes other massive objects to interact with it.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg</ref>]]

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported

2018-05-18T22:53:09Z

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Jmdonev at 21:15, 11 May 2018

2018-05-11T21:15:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:15, 11 May 2018
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	[[Category:Done ~~2016~~-04-30]]		[[Category:Done 2018-05-18]]
	[[File:Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg\|300px\|thumb\|Figure 1. The Earth, and every other massive object, has a gravitational field that causes other massive objects to interact with it.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg\|300px\|thumb\|Figure 1. The Earth, and every other massive object, has a gravitational field that causes other massive objects to interact with it.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg</ref>]]

	<onlyinclude>A '''gravitational field''' is a field induced by any object with [[mass]], which will interact with other massive objects by applying a [[force]] on it. Gravitational fields are expressed in [[Newton]]s per [[kilogram]] (N/kg), which is the same unit as [[acceleration]].</onlyinclude> This means that any massive object present in another's gravitational field will accelerate towards it, and vice versa. The field of an object is given by the equation:<ref name=Knight>R. D. Knight, "Little g and Big G" in ''Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach,'' 3nd ed. San Francisco, U.S.A.: Pearson Addison-Wesley, 2008, ch.13, sec.4, pp. 359-360</ref>		<onlyinclude>A '''gravitational field''' is a field induced by any object with [[mass]], which will interact with other massive objects by applying a [[force]] on it. Gravitational fields are expressed in [[Newton]]s per [[kilogram]] (N/kg), which is the same unit as [[acceleration]].</onlyinclude> This means that any massive object present in another's gravitational field will accelerate towards it, and vice versa. The field of an object is given by the equation:<ref name=Knight>R. D. Knight, "Little g and Big G" in ''Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach,'' 3nd ed. San Francisco, U.S.A.: Pearson Addison-Wesley, 2008, ch.13, sec.4, pp. 359-360</ref>

	<center><m>g=-\frac{GM}{\left\|R\right\|^2}\hat{R}</m></center>		<center><math>g=-\frac{GM}{\left\|R\right\|^2}\hat{R}</math></center>

	where:		where:

	* <m>G</m> is the [[gravitational constant]]		* <math>G</math> is the [[gravitational constant]]
	* <m>M</m> is the mass of the object,		* <math>M</math> is the mass of the object,
	* <m>\left\|R\right\|</m> is the distance away from the center of the object		* <math>\left\|R\right\|</math> is the distance away from the center of the object
	* <m>\hat{R}</m> is the unit direction vector, pointing towards the object (which explains the negative sign)		* <math>\hat{R}</math> is the unit direction vector, pointing towards the object (which explains the negative sign)
	* <m>g</m> is the [[acceleration due to gravity]]		* <math>g</math> is the [[acceleration due to gravity]]

	~~'''Jason this first sentence is awkward'''~~
	~~Plugging values into~~ the above ~~equation gives~~ the gravitational field strength. Specifically, using the mass and radius of the Earth, the equation shows that the acceleration due to gravity near the surface of the Earth is: <m>g=9.8\frac{m}{s^2}</m> (this value changes the further or closer ~~one gets the~~ the ~~center~~ of the Earth).		Using the equation above provides the value for gravitational field strength. Specifically, using the mass and radius of the Earth, the equation shows that the acceleration due to gravity near the surface of the Earth is: <math>g=9.8\frac{m}{s^2}</math> (this value changes the further or closer an object is relative to the centre of the Earth).

	This value means that all objects will fall at the same rate near the surface of the Earth (ignoring [[air drag]] and minor changes due to altitude and [[latitude]]).		This value means that all objects will fall at the same rate near the surface of the Earth (ignoring [[air drag]] and minor changes due to altitude and [[latitude]]).

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported: From the summer

2016-09-17T22:29:26Z

1 revision imported: From the summer

← Older revision	Revision as of 22:29, 17 September 2016
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Jmdonev at 17:18, 22 July 2016

2016-07-22T17:18:06Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:18, 22 July 2016
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	[[Category:Done ~~2015~~-07-24]]		[[Category:Done 2016-04-30]]
	[[File:Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg\|300px\|thumb\|Figure 1. The Earth, and every other massive object, has a gravitational field that causes other massive objects to interact with it.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg\|300px\|thumb\|Figure 1. The Earth, and every other massive object, has a gravitational field that causes other massive objects to interact with it.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg</ref>]]

	<onlyinclude>A '''gravitational field''' is a field induced by any object with [[mass]], which will interact with other massive objects by applying a [[force]] on it. Gravitational fields are expressed in [[Newton]]s per [[kilogram]] (N/kg), which is the same ~~units~~ as [[acceleration]].</onlyinclude> This means that any massive object present in another's gravitational field will accelerate towards it, and vice versa. The field of an object is given by the equation:<ref name=Knight>R. D. Knight, "Little g and Big G" in ''Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach,'' 3nd ed. San Francisco, U.S.A.: Pearson Addison-Wesley, 2008, ch.13, sec.4, pp. 359-360</ref>		<onlyinclude>A '''gravitational field''' is a field induced by any object with [[mass]], which will interact with other massive objects by applying a [[force]] on it. Gravitational fields are expressed in [[Newton]]s per [[kilogram]] (N/kg), which is the same unit as [[acceleration]].</onlyinclude> This means that any massive object present in another's gravitational field will accelerate towards it, and vice versa. The field of an object is given by the equation:<ref name=Knight>R. D. Knight, "Little g and Big G" in ''Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach,'' 3nd ed. San Francisco, U.S.A.: Pearson Addison-Wesley, 2008, ch.13, sec.4, pp. 359-360</ref>

	<center><m>g=-\frac{GM}{\left\|R\right\|^2}\hat{R}</m></center>		<center><m>g=-\frac{GM}{\left\|R\right\|^2}\hat{R}</m></center>
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	* <m>g</m> is the [[acceleration due to gravity]]		* <m>g</m> is the [[acceleration due to gravity]]

	~~From~~ this equation ~~it is simple to find out~~ the gravitational field strength at the ~~surface~~ of the Earth~~: by plugging in~~ the ~~mass and radius~~ of the Earth~~, it~~ is ~~found that~~ <m>g=9.81\frac{m}{s^2}</m> (this value changes the further or closer one gets the the center of the Earth). This value means that all objects will fall at the same rate ~~when present in~~ the Earth~~'s gravitational field~~ (ignoring [[air drag]]).		'''Jason this first sentence is awkward'''
			Plugging values into the above equation gives the gravitational field strength. Specifically, using the mass and radius of the Earth, the equation shows that the acceleration due to gravity near the surface of the Earth is: <m>g=9.8\frac{m}{s^2}</m> (this value changes the further or closer one gets the the center of the Earth).

			This value means that all objects will fall at the same rate near the surface of the Earth (ignoring [[air drag]] and minor changes due to altitude and [[latitude]]).

	Since the gravitational field of the Earth is [[conservative force\|conservative]] it must have a [[gravitational potential energy\|potential energy]] associated with it. This means that any object at a certain height from the surface of the Earth has a potential energy, which can be translated into [[kinetic energy]] as the object falls. Humans can make use of falling objects such as water to transform this potential energy into something useful, like [[electricity]]. [[Hydroelectric facilities]] make use of the moving water in a river in order to create electricity, which depends on this potential energy in order to operate.		Since the gravitational field of the Earth is [[conservative force\|conservative]] it must have a [[gravitational potential energy\|potential energy]] associated with it. This means that any object at a certain height from the surface of the Earth has a potential energy, which can be translated into [[kinetic energy]] as the object falls. Humans can make use of falling objects such as water to transform this potential energy into something useful, like [[electricity]]. [[Hydroelectric facilities]] make use of the moving water in a river in order to create electricity, which depends on this potential energy in order to operate.

J.williams: 1 revision imported

2015-08-26T21:31:09Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 21:31, 26 August 2015
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J.williams at 16:54, 12 August 2015

2015-08-12T16:54:38Z

New page

[[Category:Done 2015-07-24]]
[[File:Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg|300px|thumb|Figure 1. The Earth, and every other massive object, has a gravitational field that causes other massive objects to interact with it.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Earth_Western_Hemisphere.jpg</ref>]]

<onlyinclude>A '''gravitational field''' is a field induced by any object with [[mass]], which will interact with other massive objects by applying a [[force]] on it. Gravitational fields are expressed in [[Newton]]s per [[kilogram]] (N/kg), which is the same units as [[acceleration]].</onlyinclude> This means that any massive object present in another's gravitational field will accelerate towards it, and vice versa. The field of an object is given by the equation:<ref name=Knight>R. D. Knight, "Little g and Big G" in ''Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach,'' 3nd ed. San Francisco, U.S.A.: Pearson Addison-Wesley, 2008, ch.13, sec.4, pp. 359-360</ref>

<center><m>g=-\frac{GM}{\left|R\right|^2}\hat{R}</m></center>

where:

* <m>G</m> is the [[gravitational constant]]
* <m>M</m> is the mass of the object,
* <m>\left|R\right|</m> is the distance away from the center of the object
* <m>\hat{R}</m> is the unit direction vector, pointing towards the object (which explains the negative sign)
* <m>g</m> is the [[acceleration due to gravity]]

From this equation it is simple to find out the gravitational field strength at the surface of the Earth: by plugging in the mass and radius of the Earth, it is found that <m>g=9.81\frac{m}{s^2}</m> (this value changes the further or closer one gets the the center of the Earth). This value means that all objects will fall at the same rate when present in the Earth's gravitational field (ignoring [[air drag]]).

Since the gravitational field of the Earth is [[conservative force|conservative]] it must have a [[gravitational potential energy|potential energy]] associated with it. This means that any object at a certain height from the surface of the Earth has a potential energy, which can be translated into [[kinetic energy]] as the object falls. Humans can make use of falling objects such as water to transform this potential energy into something useful, like [[electricity]]. [[Hydroelectric facilities]] make use of the moving water in a river in order to create electricity, which depends on this potential energy in order to operate.

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Uploaded]]