Physics

Gravitational potential $V_g$ measures the gravitational energy per unit mass at a location in a gravitational field—think of it as the "strength" of the field's ability to do work on a test mass. The key insight is that it's a scalar field (unlike gravitational field strength, which is a vector), so you can add potentials from multiple sources algebraically. By convention, $V_g = 0$ at infinity, making it negative near massive objects, which captures the idea that gravity is attractive and pulls things inward.

Gravitational potential $V_g$ measures the gravitational energy per unit mass at a location in a gravitational field—think of it as the "strength" of the field's ability to do work on a test mass. The key insight is that it's a scalar field (unlike gravitational field strength, which is a vector), so you can add potentials from multiple sources algebraically. By convention, $V_g = 0$ at infinity, making it negative near massive objects, which captures the idea that gravity is attractive and pulls things inward.