NCEA Level 3 Physics Mechanics 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The strength of the gravitational field at a particular point is determined by the gravitational field strength. This quantity is defined as the force experienced by a unit mass placed in the gravitational field. It is expressed in newtons per kilogram (N/kg) and indicates how strong the gravitational pull is at that specific location.

Gravitational potential refers to the potential energy per unit mass at a point in a gravitational field, which could lead to confusion as it measures energy rather than force. Gravitational force, while related, describes the total attractive force acting between two masses, which does not directly measure the strength of the field at a point. Weight is the gravitational force acting on an object due to gravity, which also depends on the mass of the object in question, making it specific to an object rather than a general measure of the field strength itself.

Thus, the correct measure of how strong the gravitational field is at a specific location is indeed gravitational field strength.