The unit of geopotential difference, equal to the gravity potential of 1 meter squared per second squared, m² / s², or 1 joule per kilogram, J / kg.
Is equivalent to the potential energy of unit mass relative to a standard level (mean sea-level by convention) and is numerically equal to the work which would be done against gravity in raising the unit mass from mean sea-level to the level at which the mass is located. When calculating the thickness of a layer, earth's gravity force plays a role. There where gravity is largest (both poles), the layer is pulled down and becomes slightly smaller.
The projection of the geoid (the acceleration due to gravity) and the height above mean sea-level; it is usefully applied to isobars visualized in the vertical plane.
The potential energy per unit mass of a body due to the earth's gravitational field referred to an arbitrary zero.
A measure of potential energy, given by the integral with height (altitude) of the local acceleration of gravity. See Appendix D.
The unit of geopotential difference, equal to the gravity potential of 1 metre squared per second squared, m2/s2, or 1 joule per kilogram, J/kg.
The potential energy of a unit mass relative to sea level, numerically equal to the work that would be done in lifting the unit mass from sea level to the height at which the mass is located; commonly expressed in terms of dynamic height or geopotential height. The geopotential Φ at height is given mathematically by the expression where is the acceleration of gravity.
Geopotential is the potential of the Earth's gravity field. For convenience it is often defined as minus the potential energy per unit mass, so that the gravity vector is obtained as the gradient of this potential, without the minus.
