Final answer:
The gravitational force near the surface of the Earth is calculated using the formula F = mg, where m is the object's mass and g is the acceleration due to gravity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gravitational potential energy near the surface of the Earth is given by U = mgh. The force that corresponds to this potential energy is the gravitational force, which can be found using Newton's second law of motion.
The formula for gravitational potential energy implies that the gravitational force is F = mg, where m is the mass of the object and g is the acceleration due to gravity, approximately 9.81 m/s² at the surface of the Earth. Given the mass m and knowing g, we can calculate the gravitational force that would act on an object.