The Student Room Group
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

Equipotentials

I don't understand why there is a distance between equipotential lines , shouldn't all points at the same distance have the same value for gravitational potential , making the equipotential lines right next to each other unless the gravitational field strength at the same distance from a massive body is somehow not the same ?can someone please explain or am I just going crazy now.
Posted from TSR Mobile
1401320314311.jpg23.9KB
Reply 1
Avatar for Jambofun
Jambofun
Original post by moolightwisdom
I don't understand why there is a distance between equipotential lines , shouldn't all points at the same distance have the same value for gravitational potential , making the equipotential lines right next to each other unless the gravitational field strength at the same distance from a massive body is somehow not the same ?can someone please explain or am I just going crazy now.
Posted from TSR Mobile


An equipotential line simply means that at any point on one of the equip potentials, the (gravitational in this case) potential acting on the object is the same. If the equipotentials start to become separated by a larger distance, it means that the gravitational field is becoming weaker. The distance between the lines just refers to the distance from the planet.

I think what you have to remember in exam questions is that it is assumed that the shape of a planet if a perfect sphere and that a satellite orbiting it forms a perfect circle. In real life, this may be slightly wrong as not all planets are perfectly sphere.

I hope this helps
Original post by Jambofun
An equipotential line simply means that at any point on one of the equip potentials, the (gravitational in this case) potential acting on the object is the same. If the equipotentials start to become separated by a larger distance, it means that the gravitational field is becoming weaker. The distance between the lines just refers to the distance from the planet.

I think what you have to remember in exam questions is that it is assumed that the shape of a planet if a perfect sphere and that a satellite orbiting it forms a perfect circle. In real life, this may be slightly wrong as not all planets are perfectly sphere.

I hope this helps

Thanks :-) , I guess i will have to go over this again and not think so much Deeply about it
Original post by Jambofun
An equipotential line simply means that at any point on one of the equip potentials, the (gravitational in this case) potential acting on the object is the same. If the equipotentials start to become separated by a larger distance, it means that the gravitational field is becoming weaker. The distance between the lines just refers to the distance from the planet.

I think what you have to remember in exam questions is that it is assumed that the shape of a planet if a perfect sphere and that a satellite orbiting it forms a perfect circle. In real life, this may be slightly wrong as not all planets are perfectly sphere.

I hope this helps


Hey.. You seem like a smart fellow . Can you help me with this question please .:yes:
Posted from TSR Mobile
1401571398229.jpg17.4KB
Original post by moolightwisdom
Hey.. You seem like a smart fellow . Can you help me with this question please .:yes:
Posted from TSR Mobile



The field strength of both will be equal when the resultant is 0.

If the distance from the mass M is y, the distance from the mass 4M would be (d - y).

Using both of these, can you set up an equation and complete it?
Original post by usycool1
The field strength of both will be equal when the resultant is 0.

If the distance from the mass M is y, the distance from the mass 4M would be (d - y).

Using both of these, can you set up an equation and complete it?


Yeah that was how I was trying to to do it but I was getting 1/5 instead of 1/3 but it is solved now I just needed to take square root on (d-y) & y Thank you anyways. :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by moolightwisdom
x


The general meaning of equipotentials is simple: equipotentials exist in a field. This field consist of lines. The different lines in this field stand for different potentials. To determine a certain potential, a zero potential must be determined arbitrary first.

Look at this picture: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IJmreHj5A_I/RyyC2MXHqmI/AAAAAAAAASo/8z7Y5cW5Zes/s1600/equipot2.gif

You see very different lines. These lines are the equipotential lines which have different potentials (different voltages in this case). Start with the zero potential (= 0 V) the equipotentials are going up to the maximum (= 12 V). So the different equipotential are quasi the 'steps' to the maximum potential. As these lines have the same distance to each other, these lines are called equipotential lines.
(edited 9 years ago)

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you