- #1
MathematicalPhysicist
Gold Member
- 4,699
- 372
So we have the Newtonian gravitation potential given by ##\phi_M(r)=-GM/r##, and in class the teacher said that the Newtonian force is given by ##F_m = -m\nabla \phi_M(r)##.
Now, I was thinking about what was taught in UG or high school, isn't the force should be ##F_m = GmM/r^2##, if I plug the above potential I get a minus sign, i.e ##-(GmM/r^2)\hat{r}##.
So I asked my current teacher in class about that, it seemed he didn't take notice of this remark.
Am I right?
Also in Wiki we have the potential with a minus sign, I guess someone would have noticed this by now, right? :-)
Now, I was thinking about what was taught in UG or high school, isn't the force should be ##F_m = GmM/r^2##, if I plug the above potential I get a minus sign, i.e ##-(GmM/r^2)\hat{r}##.
So I asked my current teacher in class about that, it seemed he didn't take notice of this remark.
Am I right?
Also in Wiki we have the potential with a minus sign, I guess someone would have noticed this by now, right? :-)