When you move something (like a basketball or even a satellite) in a gravitational field (like around Earth), the work you need to do changes based on where it starts and where it ends.

• Imagine you're playing with two toys: a huge one (let's call it Big G) and a tiny one.
• Big G has a "gravitational pull" (just like Earth pulls us toward it!).
• Tiny toy is moved from point X to point Y in the field of Big G.

It's a fancy term, but think of it like "gravitational energy" at a certain point. For our toy

• At point X: Super deep in Big G's gravitational pit! Potential = V_X​.
• At point Y: A bit higher up, not as deep. Potential = V_Y​.

🤓 Cool Fact: Gravitational potential is how much work you'd do to move 1 unit mass from super far away (infinity) to the point you care about.

• To move our tiny toy from infinity to X: Work = m × V _X​.
• To move it from infinity to Y: Work = m × V_Y​.
• Moving it from X to Y: Work = )m × (VY ​− V_X​).

Mnemonic: Think of a delivery truck (m) bringing in some stuff from a very distant warehouse (infinity). Depending on which floor (X or Y) it's delivering to, the driver (you!) will have to work harder or less!