Gravitational Potential due to a Uniform Ring at a Point on its Axis Here we will calculate the gravitational potential at point P due to a uniform ring of mass M, centered at O. Where G is universal gravitation constant and M is the mass of the earth and r is the distance of the body from the centre of the earth. Note: Conventionally gravitational potential energy on the surface of the earth is considered to be zero. The gravitational potential of a point is equal to the potential energy that a unit mass would have at that point. What is interesting about gravitational potential energy is that the zero is chosen arbitrarily. The gravitational potential at point P is to be found out.

Thus gravitational potential energy = Gravitational potential at a point x Mass of the body at that point. Gravitational potential definition is - the scalar quantity characteristic of a point in a gravitational field whose gradient equals the intensity of the field and equal to the work required to move a body of unit mass from given point to a point infinitely remote. The gravitational potential (V G)at a point in a field can be defined in two equivalent ways: (a) the work done in bringing unit mass (i.e. Gravitational potential. The amount of work done in moving a unit test mass from infinity into the gravitational influence of source mass is known as gravitational potential. 1 kg) from infinity to that point or (b) the potential energy of a unit mass placed at that point in the field with the zero at infinity. In other words, we are free to choose any vertical level as the location where h = 0 h=0 h = 0 h, equals, 0.For simple mechanics problems, a convenient zero point would be at the floor of the laboratory or at the surface of a table. At a point in the gravitational field where the gravitational potential energy is zero, the gravitational field is zero. What is Gravitational Potential? Under the action of gravitational force, the work done is independent of the path taken for a change in position so the force is a conservative force. From the figure shown below, the circumference of the ring makes an angle with the line OP drawn from the center of the ring.