Exam-style question
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What is the relationship between potential difference and work done when moving a mass in a gravitational field?.
- A.Potential difference is the work done per unit charge.
- B.Potential difference is the total work done on the mass.
- C.Potential difference is independent of the work done.
- D.Potential difference is the work done divided by the mass.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- Potential difference is the work done per unit charge.
Explanation
Why this works
Potential difference is defined as the work done per unit charge when moving a charge in an electric field. In the context of gravitational fields, work done is the energy required to move a mass against the gravitational force.
The key difference is that potential difference relates to electric fields, while work done relates to gravitational fields. This concept applies when calculating the energy required to move masses in gravitational fields, concluding that potential difference is analogous to work done per unit charge in electric fields.
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