Earth’s Gravitational Potential – Rankers Physics

Gravitational Potential: Practice Problem & Solution

Assertion (A): Gravitational potential of earth at every place upon it is negative. Reason (R): Every body on earth is bound by the attraction of earth.  
Both (A) & (R) are true and the (R) is the correct explanation of the (A)
Both (A) & (R) are true but the (R) is not the correct explanation of the (A)
(A) is true but (R) is false
Both (A) and (R) are false

Solution Explained:

To solve this problem, we apply the core principles of Gravitational Potential. Understanding the underlying formula is key to arriving at the correct answer below:

Assertion (A) is true. Gravitational potential is defined as the work done to bring a unit mass from infinity (where potential is zero) to a point. Since gravity is attractive, this work is done by the field, resulting in negative potential. Reason (R) is true. All bodies on Earth are held by Earth's gravitational attraction, thus are gravitationally bound. The negative gravitational potential signifies that objects are bound in the gravitational field, so (R) is a correct explanation for (A).

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