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Formula given in passage: Potential Energy = -(GMm/r)
If the distance between two masses is tripled, then the magnitude of the gravitational potential energy is:
Ans: decreased by a factor of 3
What about the Negative sign?? in TBR's explanation they said if you triple the radius then you get less negative but doesn't that mean you increased your potential energy by factor of 3??
for example if at first it was -3 but because you triple the distance and now it is -1 that should mean you increased by a factor of 3. Am i wrong in my reasoning?
If the distance between two masses is tripled, then the magnitude of the gravitational potential energy is:
Ans: decreased by a factor of 3
What about the Negative sign?? in TBR's explanation they said if you triple the radius then you get less negative but doesn't that mean you increased your potential energy by factor of 3??
for example if at first it was -3 but because you triple the distance and now it is -1 that should mean you increased by a factor of 3. Am i wrong in my reasoning?