PHYSICS 111: MECHANICS

LECTURE 13
FREE-FALL MOTION

BY: ROBERT MCGEE

 WHAT HAPPENS ?

• 1) WHEN YOU DROP A ROCK FROM A CLIFF?

ANS: IT FALLS DOWNWARD.
• 2) WHEN A SKYDIVER JUMPS FROM A PLANE?
ANS: HE/SHE WILL FALL TO THE GROUND.
• 3) TO A SKYDIVER’S SPEED AS HE IS FALLING?
ANS: IT WILL REACH A TERMINAL VELOCITY DUE TO AIR RESISTANCE.
 FREE-FALL MOTION

• AN OBJECT MOVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GRAVITY ONLY!!

 OUR GOAL FOR TODAY

• 1) PERFORM AN EXPERIMENT TO ANALYZE A FREE-FALLING OBJECT.

• 2) DETERMINE THE VALUE OF G.

• 3) ENABLE YOU TO SOLVE PROBLEMS DEALING WITH FREE-FALLING OBJECTS.

 PROPERTIES OF MOTION

• 1) DISPLACEMENT

• 2) VELOCITY

• 3) ACCELERATION
 DISPLACEMENT

• DISPLACEMENT: THE DISTANCE AND DIRECTION TRAVELLED.

• ALEX RODRIGUEZ HITS A HOME RUN. WHAT IS HIS TOTAL DISPLACEMENT AROUND THE BASES?

• ANS: 0!!!
 VELOCITY

• VELOCITY: change − in − displacement s →

= =v
change − in − time t
A HOME-RUN TAKES ABOUT 3.5 SEC TO CLEAR SHEA’S
CENTER WALL (420 FT.) WHAT IS THE VELOCITY OF
THE BALL?
420 ft − 0 ft
ANS: velocity = = 120 ft / s
3.5s − 0s
- FOR EVERY SECOND, THE BALL TRAVELS 120 FT.
 ACCELERATION

change − in − velocity v →
• AVERAGE ACCELERATION: = =a
change − in − time t
A CAR DOES 0-85 M/S IN 6.4 SECONDS. WHAT THE AVERAGE
ACCELERATION FOR THIS INTERVAL OF TIME?
→ 85m / s − 0m / s
ANS: a= = 13.28m / s 2
6.4s − 0s
*FOR EVERY SECOND, THE VELOCITY INCREASES BY
13.28
 VECTOR & SCALAR QUANTITIES

• A VECTOR QUANTITY HAS SIZE AND DIRECTION

EX: DISPLACEMENT, VELOCITY, ACCELERATION

• A SCALAR QUANTITY HAS ONLY SIZE AND NO DIRECTION

EX: DISTANCE,SPEED
 USEFUL KINEMATIC FORMULAS
1)v f = vi + 2as
2 2

1
2) s = vi t + at 2

2
3)v f = vi + at
_ vi + v f
4) v =
2
 THE VELOCITY VS. TIME GRAPH

• PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION OF VELOCITY VS. TIME GRAPH.

As time increases, the velocity
increases in this graph.

The Slope of this graph gives

us the acceleration of this
object.
 DO YOU UNDERSTAND IT?

• CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE MOTION OF THIS OBJECT? IT’S ACCELERATION?

• ANS : ZERO ACCELERATION, CONSTANT VELOCITY
 EXPERIMENTAL ERROR

g = 9.81m / s 2

• WHAT IF OUR VALUES DO NOT MATCH G?

• REMEMBER QUESTION REGARDING TERMINAL

VELOCITY
 EXPERMIENTAL ERROR

• WE MUST CALCULATE THE PERCENT ERROR FOR EACH OF OUR TRIALS:

True− Experimental
%err =  100
True
 OUR EXPERIMENT
• DROP THE PICKET-FENCE
THROUGH THE VERNIER
PHOTOGATE

• COLLECT DATA WITH

VERNIER SOFTWARE

• ANALYZE VELOCITY VS.

TIME GRAPH
 DIRECTIONS

• DROP THE PICKET FENCE THROUGH THE PHOTOGATE 5 TIMES. (5

TRIALS)

• WRITE DOWN THE ACCELERATION VALUES FOR EACH TRIAL.

• WRITE DOWN THE EXPERIMENTAL ERROR FOR EACH TRIAL.

 UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION
• NEWTONIAN GRAVITATION
• FREE-FALL ACCELERATION &
THE GRAVITATIONAL FORCE
• GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL
ENERGY
• ESCAPE SPEED
• KEPLER 1ST LAW
• KEPLER 2ND LAW
• KEPLER 3RD LAW
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 NEWTON’S LAW OF
UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION
• THE APPLE WAS ATTRACTED TO THE EARTH
• ALL OBJECTS IN THE UNIVERSE WERE
ATTRACTED TO EACH OTHER IN THE SAME
WAY THE APPLE WAS ATTRACTED TO THE
EARTH

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 NEWTON’S LAW OF
UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION
• EVERY PARTICLE IN THE UNIVERSE ATTRACTS EVERY
OTHER PARTICLE WITH A FORCE THAT IS DIRECTLY
PROPORTIONAL TO THE PRODUCT OF THE MASSES
AND INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO THE SQUARE
OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM.
m1m2
F =G 2
r
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 UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION
• G IS THE CONSTANT OF UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION
• G = 6.673 X 10-11 N M² /KG²
• THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN INVERSE SQUARE LAW
• DETERMINED EXPERIMENTALLY
• HENRY CAVENDISH IN 1798
m1m2
F =G 2
r
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 UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION
• THE FORCE THAT MASS 1 EXERTS
ON MASS 2 IS EQUAL AND
OPPOSITE TO THE FORCE MASS
2 EXERTS ON MASS 1
• THE FORCES FORM A
NEWTON’S THIRD LAW ACTION-
REACTION
❑The gravitational force exerted by a uniform
sphere on a particle outside the sphere is the
same as the force exerted if the entire mass of the
sphere were concentrated on its center
 BILLIARDS, ANYONE?
• THREE 0.3-KG BILLIARD BALLS
ARE PLACED ON A TABLE AT THE
CORNERS OF A RIGHT
TRIANGLE.
(A) FIND THE NET GRAVITATIONAL
FORCE ON THE CUE BALL;
(B) FIND THE COMPONENTS OF
THE GRAVITATIONAL FORCE OF
M2 ON M3.
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 FREE-FALL ACCELERATION

• HAVE YOU HEARD THIS CLAIM:

• ASTRONAUTS ARE WEIGHTLESS IN SPACE, THEREFORE THERE IS NO GRAVITY IN SPACE?

• IT IS TRUE THAT IF AN ASTRONAUT ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS) TRIES TO STEP ON A SCALE, HE/SHE
WILL WEIGH NOTHING.
• IT MAY SEEM REASONABLE TO THINK THAT IF WEIGHT = MG, SINCE WEIGHT = 0, G = 0, BUT THIS IS NOT TRUE.
• IF YOU STAND ON A SCALE IN AN ELEVATOR AND THEN THE CABLES ARE CUT, YOU WILL ALSO WEIGH NOTHING (MA
= N – MG, BUT IN FREE-FALL A = G, SO THE NORMAL FORCE N = 0). THIS DOES NOT MEAN G = 0!
• ASTRONAUTS IN ORBIT ARE IN FREE-FALL AROUND THE EARTH, JUST AS YOU WOULD BE IN THE ELEVATOR. THEY DO
NOT FALL TO EARTH, ONLY BECAUSE OF THEIR VERY HIGH TANGENTIAL SPEED.

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FREE-FALL ACCELERATION AND THE GRAVITATIONAL
FORCE
• CONSIDER AN OBJECT OF MASS M NEAR THE
EARTH’S SURFACE
F =G
m1m2
=G
mM E
2
r2 RE

• ACCELERATION AG DUE TO GRAVITY

mM E
F =G 2
= ma g
RE
M E = 5.97421023 kg RE = 6378.1 km
• SINCE ME
a g = G 2 = 9.8 m/s 2
RE
WE FIND AT THE EARTH’S SURFACE
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FREE-FALL ACCELERATION AND THE GRAVITATIONAL
FORCE
• CONSIDER AN OBJECT OF MASS M AT A HEIGHT H
ABOVE THE EARTH’S SURFACE
m1m2 mM E
F =G 2 =G
r ( RE + h) 2

• ACCELERATION AG DUE TO GRAVITY

mM E
F =G 2
= ma g
RE
ME
ag = G
• AG WILL VARY WITH ALTITUDE ( RE + h ) 2

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 GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL
ENERGY
• U = MGY IS VALID ONLY NEAR THE EARTH’S
SURFACE
• FOR OBJECTS HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH’S
SURFACE, AN ALTERNATE EXPRESSION IS
NEEDED MEm
U = −G
r

• ZERO REFERENCE LEVEL IS INFINITELY FAR FROM THE

EARTH, SO POTENTIAL ENERGY IS EVERYWHERE
NEGATIVE!
• ENERGY CONSERVATION 1 M m
E = K + U = mv 2 − G E
2 r
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 ENERGY OF AN ORBIT
• CONSIDER A CIRCULAR ORBIT OF A PLANET AROUND THE SUN. WHAT KEEPS THE
PLANET MOVING IN ITS CIRCLE?
• IT IS THE CENTRIPETAL FORCE PRODUCED BY THE GRAVITATIONAL FORCE, I.E.
mv 2 Mm
F= =G 2
r r
• THAT IMPLIES THAT GMm
1
2 mv 2
=
2r
• MAKING THIS SUBSTITUTION IN THE EXPRESSION FOR TOTAL ENERGY:
1 2 GMm GMm GMm GMm
E= mv − = − E=− (circular orbits)
2 r 2r r 2r

• NOTE THE TOTAL ENERGY IS NEGATIVE, AND IS HALF THE (NEGATIVE) POTENTIAL
ENERGY. GMm
E=− (elliptical orbits)
2a
• FOR AN ELLIPTICAL ORBIT, R IS REPLACED BY A:
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 ESCAPE SPEED
• THE ESCAPE SPEED IS THE SPEED NEEDED FOR AN
OBJECT TO SOAR OFF INTO SPACE AND NOT
RETURN 1 2 MEm
E = K +U = mv − G =0
2 r

• FOR THE EARTH, VESC IS ABOUT 11.2 KM/S

• NOTE, V IS INDEPENDENT
vesc =
2GM E OF THE MASS OF THE
OBJECT RE
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KEPLER’S LAWS • ALL PLANETS MOVE IN
ELLIPTICAL ORBITS WITH
THE SUN AT ONE OF THE
FOCAL POINTS.
• A LINE DRAWN FROM THE
SUN TO ANY PLANET
SWEEPS OUT EQUAL
AREAS IN EQUAL TIME
INTERVALS.
• THE SQUARE OF THE
ORBITAL PERIOD OF ANY
PLANET IS PROPORTIONAL
TO CUBE OF THE AVERAGE
DISTANCE FROM THE SUN
TO THE PLANET.

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 KEPLER’S FIRST LAW
• ALL PLANETS MOVE IN
ELLIPTICAL ORBITS WITH
THE SUN AT ONE
FOCUS.
• ANY OBJECT BOUND TO
ANOTHER BY AN INVERSE
SQUARE LAW WILL
MOVE IN AN ELLIPTICAL
PATH
• SECOND FOCUS IS
EMPTY
 ELLIPSE PARAMETERS
• DISTANCE A = AB/2 IS THE SEMI-MAJOR
AXIS
• DISTANCE B = CD/2 IS THE SEMI-MINOR
AXIS
• DISTANCE FROM ONE FOCUS TO CENTER
OF THE ELLIPSE IS EA, WHERE E IS THE
ECCENTRICITY.
• ECCENTRICITY IS ZERO FOR A CIRCULAR
ORBIT, AND GETS LARGER AS THE ELLIPSE
GETS MORE PRONOUNCED.
 KEPLER’S SECOND LAW

• A LINE DRAWN FROM

THE SUN TO ANY
PLANET WILL SWEEP
OUT EQUAL AREAS IN
EQUAL TIMES
• AREA FROM A TO B
AND C TO D ARE THE
SAME
 KEPLER’S THIRD LAW
• THE SQUARE OF THE ORBITAL PERIOD OF ANY
PLANET IS PROPORTIONAL TO CUBE OF THE
AVERAGE DISTANCE FROM THE SUN TO THE PLANET.

T = Ka
2 3

• T IS THE PERIOD OF THE PLANET

• A IS THE AVERAGE DISTANCE FROM THE SUN. OR A IS THE
LENGTH OF THE SEMI-MAJOR AXIS
• FOR ORBIT AROUND THE SUN, K = KS = 2.97X10-19
S2/M3 4 2
• K IS INDEPENDENT OF THE MASS OF THE PLANET K s = GM
s
 THE MASS OF THE SUN

• CALCULATE THE MASS OF THE SUN NOTING THAT

THE PERIOD OF THE EARTH’S ORBIT AROUND THE
SUN IS 3.156 107 S AND ITS DISTANCE FROM THE
SUN IS 1.496 1011 M.

4 2
T2 = a3
GM
4 2 3
M= 2
a = 1.99  1030
kg
GT
 GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT
• FROM A TELECOMMUNICATIONS POINT OF VIEW, IT’S
ADVANTAGEOUS FOR SATELLITES TO REMAIN AT THE SAME
LOCATION RELATIVE TO A LOCATION ON THE EARTH. THIS
CAN OCCUR ONLY IF THE SATELLITE’S ORBITAL PERIOD IS
THE SAME AS THE EARTH’S PERIOD OF ROTATION, 24 H. (A)
AT WHAT DISTANCE FROM THE CENTER OF THE EARTH CAN
THIS GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT BE FOUND? (B) WHAT’S
THE ORBITAL SPEED OF THE SATELLITE?
4 2 3
T= a = 24 h = 86400 s
GM E

a = ( GM E T 2 / 4 2 )
1/3 1/3
= (6.67e − 11)(5.97e24)(86400 s)2 / 4 2  = 41500 km