Question

Daphne is a pilot for a package delivery service. As her plane takes off and travels away from the Earth’s surface, its gravitational potential energy increases. Which three factors affect the plane’s gravitational potential energy?

Answer 1

Answer:

its height relative to some reference point, its mass, and the strength of the gravitational field

Explanation:

Gravitational energy is the potential energy associated with gravitational force, such as elevating objects against the Earth’s gravity. The potential energy due to elevated positions is called gravitational potential energy.

The factors that affect an object’s gravitational potential energy are the following; its height relative to some reference point, its mass, and the strength of the gravitational field it is in. For instance, consider a wallet lying on a table, it has less gravitational potential energy than the same wallet lying on top of a taller cupboard, and yet lesser gravitational potential energy than a heavier wallet lying on the same table.

If an object lies at a certain height above the Moon’s surface, it has less gravitational potential energy than the same object lying at the same height above the Earth’s surface because the Moon’s gravitational force is weaker.