Gravitational potential energy is the energy of an object possesses because of its position in a gravitational field as it represents the potential of an object which has to do some work as a result of being located at a particular position in a gravitational field. Gravitational field intensity is zero at infinity and it goes on decreasing as the test mass approaches the attracting body. There are two types of potential energy positive and negative so a positive electrostatic potential at some point means that a positive charge at that point has a higher level of potential energy whereas negative charge at that point has a lower level of potential energy as compared to the reference point.
Why gravitational potential energy’s existence important?
Energy can only be conserved which means it cannot be created or destroyed but it only moves from one form to another. Thus whatsoever energy is created it can only be transformed somewhere without been destroyed. Why this is important is a very important question as energy is been used in every step we take or every breath we take as we walk we use the muscle energy. If we lift something it also creates energy and transformed in the form of moving that object. And if that things fall or you fall in the ground energy created called kinetic energy this all goes the same with the earth’s atmosphere as it also creates or continues to creates energy in the earth’s atmosphere.
How potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy and why it is necessary?
Potential energy or gravitational potential energy may be converted to other forms of energy such as kinetic energy. When the mass is released gravitational force will do an amount of work equal to mgh on it and this leads to the increase of its kinetic energy. In a formula, it can be expressed as PEg to KE without explicitly considering the intermediate step of work. This shortcut makes it easy to solve the problem using energy rather than using forces. If we take another perspective it is the energy associated with gravity or gravitational force, for example, a ball being held above the table has higher gravitational potential than a ball lying on that same table. Gravitational potential energy is mechanical energy minus kinetic energy and its scalar value is measured in Joules(J). This is the love that energy can only be transformed not created or destroyed in any form.
