A-Level AQA Physics Gravitational Fields: The graph shows how the gravitat

The graph shows how the gravitational potential $V$ varies with the vertical distance $d$ from the surface of the Earth - AQA - A-Level Physics - Question 12 - 2020 - Paper 2

Question 12

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The graph shows how the gravitational potential $V$ varies with the vertical distance $d$ from the surface of the Earth. What does the gradient of the graph represe... show full transcript

Worked Solution & Example Answer:The graph shows how the gravitational potential $V$ varies with the vertical distance $d$ from the surface of the Earth - AQA - A-Level Physics - Question 12 - 2020 - Paper 2

Step 1

What does the gradient of the graph represent at the surface of the Earth?

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Answer

The gradient of the graph of gravitational potential with respect to vertical distance represents the gravitational field strength near the surface of the Earth. In mathematical terms, the gravitational field strength ( $g$ ) is defined as the negative gradient of the gravitational potential:

$g = -\frac{dV}{dd}$

At the surface of the Earth, this means that the steeper the gradient, the stronger the gravitational field strength. Therefore, the correct answer is:

D: magnitude of the gravitational field strength.

The graph shows how the gravitational potential $V$ varies with the vertical distance $d$ from the surface of the Earth - AQA - A-Level Physics - Question 12 - 2020 - Paper 2

Worked Solution & Example Answer:The graph shows how the gravitational potential $V$ varies with the vertical distance $d$ from the surface of the Earth - AQA - A-Level Physics - Question 12 - 2020 - Paper 2

What does the gradient of the graph represent at the surface of the Earth?

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