In the theory of gravitation, or of other forces acting
   in space, a function of the rectangular coordinates which determine the
   position of a point, such that its differential coefficients with
   respect to the coordinates are equal to the components of the force at
   the point considered; -- also called potential function, or force
   function. It is called also Newtonian potential when the force is
   directed to a fixed center and is inversely as the square of the
   distance from the center.