Gravitational Energy To Mechanical Energy: What, How To Convert, Process

The gravitational energy accelerates the object converting the gravitational potential energy into mechanical energy.

The combination of the potential and kinetic energy due to the gravitational force of the Earth leads to the formation of mechanical energy.

What is a Transfer of Gravitational Energy to Mechanical Energy?

The gravitational energy is the potential of the object to attract other bodies in its surroundings to closer to it.

The gravitational potential energy of the object is converted into kinetic energy due to the gravitational pull; thus transferring the gravitational energy to mechanical energy.

Any object possessing gravitational energy will be converted to mechanical energy once it experiences an external force, or the object exerts a free fall from the height. The gravitational energy is simply the potential gained by the object raised at a height above the ground.

The flowing water is an example of mechanical energy that carries away the debris along with it and dumps the sediments into a sedimentary basin. The water stored in the dams rosed at a certain level above the base has an immense amount of potential energy that is transformed into mechanical energy when the doors of the dam are lead open to flow out the raised volume of water in the dams.

Read more on 15+ Example Of Gravitational Energy To Mechanical Energy: Detailed Explanations.

What Process is Gravitational Energy to Mechanical Energy?

There are a number of processes involved to converts the gravitational form of energy into mechanical energy.

When the object is raised above the ground at a certain height, the gravitational pull is exerted on the object that tends to accelerate the object down the surface of the Earth thus converting the gravitational energy to mechanical energy.

Once the object is raised above the ground the potential energy of the object increases as the distance of separation between the ground and the object rises.

Read more on How to find Gravitational Acceleration without Mass: Several Approaches and Problem Examples.

We will discuss some of the processes responsible for the conversion of gravitational energy to mechanical energy here below:-

Height

The object raised at a height possesses the gravitational potential energy that is easily converted into mechanical energy as the object accelerates down, converting the amount of potential into kinetic energy.

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The gravitational energy in the revolution of the satellite around Earth; Image Credit: Pixabay

The polar satellites revolving around the planet are released at a height where the gravitational pulls exertion on the satellite due to the planet becoming the minimum and the satellite has enough potential energy, such that the gravitational energy is transformed into mechanical energy.

Read more on Gravitational Force a Contact Force: Why, How, When and Detailed Facts.

Throwing

Throwing the object projects it into the air increases and decreases the kinetic and potential for the first half distance and the same is opposite for the next half. The gravitational energy of the object in flight is converted to mechanical energy.

We can take a simple example of a cricket ball hit by the batsman high into the air. Once it touches the ground, it will rise back again in the air and bounce again. This is because the potential energy gained by the ball when it was at a height in the air is totally not converted into kinetic energy but does conserve some potential energy. Since the ball constitutes both kinetic as well as potential energy, it is said to be mechanical energy.

Read more on 13+ Gravitational Energy Examples: Detailed Facts.

Releasing Something from a Height

Releasing any object from any height will accelerate the object down on the ground due to gravity, by converting the gravitational energy to mechanical energy.

The hot air balloon flying in the air due to the buoyant force of the air experiences the air drag and the gravitational force downward. The hot air balloon at a certain height ‘h’ has a potential energy mgh and a kinetic energy 1/2mv2 accompanies for a balloon to do the work.

Read more on 15+ Examples Of Potential Energy In Your Home.

Sliding

The object kept on the top of the slope will slide downward as the gravitational pull exerting on the object pulls it towards the base of the slope.

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Stone sliding down; Pixabay

The rolling of the object while sliding down the hill is accompanied by mechanical energy, thus converting the gravitational energy into mechanical energy. This mechanical energy is lost due to friction and air resistance imposed on the object that is converted in the form of heat.

Read more on 14+ Uses Of Mechanical Energy: Detailed Explanations.

Rotation Motion

The conversion of the energy in the form of mechanical energy due to gravitational energy can be explained by taking into consideration of a giant wheel.

On reaching the highest point from the surface of the ground seating on the ferries wheel, the acceleration of the seat downward is a free fall and no work is needed to be done to bring it downward, as the gravitational energy itself accelerates the seat downward.

Read more on Centripetal Acceleration Vs Acceleration: Various Types Acceleration Comparative Analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does gravitational energy convert into mechanical energy in the case of swing?

The swings are raised at height and therefore we know that it has some potential energy.

When the swing oscillates, both the potential energy and kinetic energy persist, thus converting the gravitational energy of a person sitting on the swing into mechanical energy.

How gravitational potential energy of the object sliding down is converted into mechanical energy?

The object sliding from the slider always possesses gravitational potential energy which is converting into kinetic energy every time it slides down.

The object sliding downwards is associated with the kinetic as well as the potential energy with it; hence the mechanical energy is generated to do the work by the object.

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