Module 17 : Surfaces, Surface Area, Surface integrals, Divergence Theorem and applications
Lecture 51 :  Applications of Divergence theorem [Section 51.2]
 

We also saw that, Further, if

and such a scalar field is called the 'potential' of the force field Then, in this case,

If a mass is distributed in a region in space with density then the corresponding potential of the force field at a point not occupied by the mass will be given by

Hence,

Thus, the potential of the gravitational force field is a harmonic function at every point which is not occupied by matter.

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