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Electric and gravitational potential

Hi guys, happy new year :biggrin: I was going over some physics - specifically electric and gravitational potential and there's a bit that I just can't get my head around.
So, it's a measure of how much energy is required per unit coloumb/kilogram to move a body/charge from infinity to that point, right? At a distance of infinity from the originating body/charge, the potential is zero. For attractive forces, you have to put in energy to move a positive charge/test mass away from the surface.

Does that mean that, the further away you get from the body causing the potential, the more potential it has? That makes sense because the higher an object is from Earth, by mgh, the more potential energy it has. (I realise that potential energy is slightly different, but it's a linked concept) So why then, in the below picture, is the potential's magnitude decreasing as separation increases? Is my understanding even correct? I guess it's the negative bit that I'm struggling with, even though I know it's arbitrary.
(edited 9 years ago)
U-graph01.jpg16.3KB
Yes, as a body travels from the earth, it gains potential energy. It moves from an area of low potential to an area of high potential. Gravity is attractive force. Potential at earth's surface is negative, potential at inifnity is 0. In the image, potential is increasing.
Original post by Ilovemaths96
Yes, as a body travels from the earth, it gains potential energy. It moves from an area of low potential to an area of high potential. Gravity is attractive force. Potential at earth's surface is negative, potential at inifnity is 0. In the image, potential is increasing.


Alright, I just needed confirmation on that. Thanks!

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