Question

How can you increase the gravitational potential energy (GPE) of an object?

We are doing an experiment in school where we have to launch a rocket into the air and record the data and find the gravitational potential energy (GPE). One question on our paper asks what are 3 ways to change the gravitational potential energy. I already did the height and weight mass changes. What would be the third way to increase the GPE of the rocket.

Answer 1

By Launching At poles of the earth.

Explanation:

Before Explaining I dont know whether this reason will be taken into account or not but in reality it will surely effect.

So we know that the earth is not at all uniform and this leads to the difference in `g`.

Since
`g=GM/R^2`

so it is inversely proportion to R,or the radius of the earth or specifically the distance from the center.

So if you launch at the top of mount Everest ,you will get less GPE.

Now regarding the school project.
Many school students dont understand that the main principle in launching a rocket in the outer space ,is not Conservation of Energy But Conservation of Momentum.

Listen ,Your rocket should be launched at a good speed ,100m/s for decent height. Now you have to built a mechanism by which The rocket at A perfect height will lose some part of its mass.For ex -the lower portion may split through a junction.This will reduce mass ,and by conservation of momentum the velocity will increase.In case of actual rockets they loss mass by burning fuel ,(They carry tons of fuel),but in school rocket ,In my time we reached a height of 893.3 m of height from the ground level.