Home/
Competitive Exams/
JEE Main & Advanced/
Physics/
Gravitation/
Question 30740
JEE Physics · Medium

Gravitation: Gravitational PE at Surface MCQ

Solve this quality-checked JEE multiple-choice question, then review the correct answer and explanation.

Timer-based practiceDetailed answer reviewMobile-friendly flow
Gravitational PE at SurfaceMediumQuestion 30740

Question

Gravitational PE of a 10 kg mass on Earth's surface (R = 6.4×10⁶ m, g = 10 m/s²) relative to infinity is:
  1. A
    −6.4×10⁸ J
    Correct
  2. B
    +6.4×10⁸ J
  3. C
    −10 J
  4. D
    Zero

Correct answer

−6.4×10⁸ J

Explanation

U = −GMm/R = −mgR = −10×10×6.4×10⁶ = −6.4×10⁸ J. The negative sign indicates the mass is bound to Earth (needs energy to escape).

Review Gravitation notesStart timed chapter practice