| English | Gravitational field |
|---|---|
| Bahasa Melayu | Medan graviti |
| 中文 | 引力场 |
Definition
A region around a mass in which another mass experiences a gravitational force of attraction.
In exam terms
A gravitational field is a region around a mass in which another mass experiences a force of attraction. It is a way of describing how the influence of a mass reaches out into the space around it.
The field is represented by field lines that point towards the mass, showing the direction of the force on a small test mass placed in it. Near the Earth's surface the lines are almost parallel and evenly spaced, so the field is treated as uniform.
Farther out around a planet the lines are radial and spread apart, showing that the field gets weaker with distance.
Do not confuse it with…
Do not confuse a gravitational field (the region where a mass feels a force) with gravitational field strength (how strong that field is at a point, measured in N kg⁻¹). The field is the space; the field strength is a number describing it.
In Paper 2 you may be asked to define a gravitational field, or to describe the pattern of its field lines. State clearly that the lines point towards the mass and that closer, more crowded lines represent a stronger field.
Source: DSKP KSSM Physics Form 4 and 5 (Versi English) (Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum (BPK), KPM)