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Physics Tutorial 5.3 - Gravitational Potential Energy

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There are 3 lessons in this physics tutorial covering Gravitational Potential Energy. The tutorial starts with an introduction to Gravitational Potential Energy and is then followed with a list of the separate lessons, the tutorial is designed to be read in order but you can skip to a specific lesson or return to recover a specific physics lesson as required to build your physics knowledge of Gravitational Potential Energy. you can access all the lessons from this tutorial below.

In this Physics tutorial, you will learn:

  • What is Potential Energy?
  • What are conservative forces?
  • What is gravitational potential energy and how it relates with potential energy in general?
  • What does the law of mechanical energy conservation says?
  • How can we calculate the final velocity of a falling object when the initial falling height is given, without using the kinematic formulae?
  • What does the negative sign before the potential energy implies?

Introduction

Suppose you need to break a strong shell, so you decide to release a stone from a certain height on it. However, after a few trials you notice the shell is still unharmed. Which option do you think is the most suitable to make possible breaking it?

  1. Throwing the same stone from a higher position than before,
  2. Throwing a heavier stone from the same position
  3. Throwing a heavier stone from a higher position than before.

The answer for this question (which is clearly option c), refers to the concept of gravitational potential energy, a topid we will explore in this tutorial. First, let's explain what Potential Energy is in general terms, then we will look closer at gravitational potential energy as a special case of potential energy.

Please select a specific "Gravitational Potential Energy" lesson from the table below, review the video tutorial, print the revision notes or use the practice question to improve your knowledge of this physics topic.

Work, Energy and Power Learning Material
Tutorial IDPhysics Tutorial TitleTutorialVideo
Tutorial
Revision
Notes
Revision
Questions
5.3Gravitational Potential Energy
Lesson IDPhysics Lesson TitleLessonVideo
Lesson
5.3.1What is Potential Energy?
5.3.2Gravitational Potential Energy
5.3.3The Law of Mechanical Energy Conservation

Whats next?

Enjoy the "Gravitational Potential Energy" physics tutorial? People who liked the "Gravitational Potential Energy" tutorial found the following resources useful:

  1. Physics tutorial Feedback. Helps other - Leave a rating for this tutorial (see below)
  2. Work, Energy and Power Revision Notes: Gravitational Potential Energy. Print the notes so you can revise the key points covered in the physics tutorial for Gravitational Potential Energy
  3. Work, Energy and Power Practice Questions: Gravitational Potential Energy. Test and improve your knowledge of Gravitational Potential Energy with example questins and answers
  4. Check your calculations for Work, Energy and Power questions with our excellent Work, Energy and Power calculators which contain full equations and calculations clearly displayed line by line. See the Work, Energy and Power Calculators by iCalculator™ below.
  5. Continuing learning work, energy and power - read our next physics tutorial: Elastic Potential Energy and Combination of Springs

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