Newton’s law of

gravitation
Mechanics
203-NYA-05
Greg Mulcair
 Slide 2

Newton’s law of gravitation

 Newton’s law of gravitation states the
following:
 Every particle in the Universe attracts every
other particle with a force that is directly
proportional to the product of their masses and
inversely proportional to the distance between
them
 Slide 3

Newton’s law of gravitation

 As an equation, this is:

Gm1m2
FG  2
r

G is the universal gravitational constant

G = 6.67E-11 N m2 / kg2
 Slide 4

Gm1m2
Quick example FG  2
r
G = 6.67E-11 N m2 / kg2

 Find the force of attraction of these two

masses, separated by two metres:
 Bowling ball: 2 kg
 Tennis ball: 200 g

 Which one feels the bigger force?

 Slide 5

Answer Gm1m2
Find the force of attraction of these two
FG  2
masses, separated by three metres: r
Bowling ball: 2 kg Tennis ball: 200 g. G = 6.67E-11 N m2 / kg2

Which one feels the bigger force?

Gm1m2
FG  2
= (6.67E-11)(2)(0.2)/(3^2) = 2.96E-12 N
r

They both feel the same amount of force, and it is

attractive (towards each other)
 Slide 6

Newton’s law of gravitation

Gm1m2
FG  2
r

 m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects

r is the distance between the centers of the
masses (we will assume they are uniformly
distributed spheres)
 Slide 7

G vs. g
 Always distinguish between G and g
 G is the universal gravitational constant
G is the same everywhere
 G = 6.67E-11 N m2 / kg2

 g is the acceleration due to gravity

g will vary by location
 g = 9.81 m/s2 at the surface of the Earth
 Slide 8

Newton’s law of gravitation

 It can also be written as a vector equation:
 Gm1m1
FG   2
ˆ
r
r
 r̂ is the unit vector between m1 and m2
 The negative sign means that it is an attractive
force between m1 and m2
You don’t need to write it this way. Just remember
that the two masses attract one another.
 Slide 9

Newton’s law of gravitation

 The force exerted by mass 1 Gm1m2
on mass 2 is written like this: F12  2
r

 The force exerted by mass 2 Gm1m2

on mass 1 is written like this: F21  2
r

 Notice that they have the

F12  F21
same magnitude (3rd Law):
 Slide 10

Newton’s law of gravitation

 Although they have the same magnitude,
they point in opposite directions.
 Mass 1 attracts (pulls) mass 2
 Mass 2 attracts (pulls) mass 1
 Slide 11

Newton’s law of gravitation

 As the distance between them increases,
the attractive force decreases rapidly.

Gm1m2
F12  F21  2
r
Inverse square law means
an increase in r is an even
greater decrease in F
 Slide 12

Gm1m2
Question FG  2
r
G = 6.67E-11 N m2 / kg2
 Find the 6
magnitude and
direction of F12, 5
the gravitational 4 m 1

force that m1 3
(5 kg) exerts on 2
m2 (2 kg). 1
 The dimensions
on the grid are
0m0 1 2 3 4 5 6
2

given in metres
 Slide 13

Answer
 First let’s 6
determine the
direction of F12. 5
 We know it is 4 m
1
always an 3
attractive force (m1
pulls m2 towards it) 2
 So the force is 1
along the line
joining them, and it 0m0 1 2 3 4 5 6
2

points towards m1.

 Slide 14

Answer
 The direction is 6
therefore found 5
using the angle:
4 m (3,4)
1
 tan-1(4/3) = 53.1° 3
2
1 53.1°

0m0 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
 Slide 15

Answer
 Now let’s find the 6
magnitude: 5
m (3,4)
Gm1m2
F12  4 1
r2
(6.67 E  11)(5)( 2) 3

52 2
 2.67 E  11 N 1 °
53.1°
 The distance r was found
from Pythagoras:
0m0 1 2 3 4 5 6
2

r  32  4 2  5
 Slide 16

Answer
 So the force that 6
m1 exerts on m2 5
is:
4 1 m
3
 
F12  2.67 E  11 N @ 53.1 2 F12
1
0m0 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
 Slide 17

Question
 Find it in Cartesian 6
coordinates:

F12  2.67 E  11 N , 53.1
5
4 1 m
3

2 F12
1
0m0 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
 Slide 18

Newton’s law of gravitation

 As we just saw, the gravitational force is
pretty small for everyday masses.

 But for larger things like planets, the forces

become much more significant.
 The gravitational force is what causes planets
to orbit one another.
 Slide 19

Newton’s law of gravitation

 We orbit the sun due to this balance of
gravitational forces

Sun pulls on Earth The rest of the

universe also pulls
on the Earth
 Slide 20

Question
 Determine the net
gravitational force (in 6 m 1
Cartesian and polar) 5
that the earth (m1) feels
due to the two 4
asteroids (m2 and m3) 3 m
2
 m1 = 6E24kg
 m2 = 1E19 kg 2 m3

 m3 = 7E19 kg 1
 The dimensions on the 00 1 2 3 4 5 6
grid are given in 1E12
metres
 Slide 21

Answer
m1 = 6E24kg
m2 = 1E19 kg
m3 = 7E19 kg

6 m 1

5
4 Use trigonometry to break this up
into x and y components
3 m 2

2
1
00 1 2 3 4 5 6
 Slide 22

Answer
m1 = 6E24kg
m2 = 1E19 kg
m3 = 7E19 kg

6 m 1

5 Use trigonometry to break this up

into x and y components
4
3
2 m 3

1
00 1 2 3 4 5 6
 Slide 23

Answer
m1 = 6E24kg
m2 = 1E19 kg
m3 = 7E19 kg

6 m 1

5
4
3 m 2

2 m 3

1
00 1 2 3 4 5 6
 Slide 24

Answer
m1 = 6E24kg
m2 = 1E19 kg
m3 = 7E19 kg

6 m 1

5
4
3 m 2

2 m 3

1
00 1 2 3 4 5 6
 Slide 25

Question
 Where would a 6 m 1
fourth mass (m4 = 5
4E21 kg) need to
4
be located in 3 m
2
order to balance
all the forces
2 m3

acting on m1?
1
00 1 2 3 4 5 6
 Slide 26

 So m4 needs to be placed
3E13 m away from m1 at an 6 m 1

angle of 7.9° from vertical. 5

 So the new position relative
to m1 is:
4
 Δx: 3E13sin7.9 = 4.12E12 m
3 m
2

 Δy: 3E13cos7.9 = 2.97E13 m 2 m3

 This is from m1’s position, so 1
the actual position is:
 x: 2E12+4.12E12 = 6.12E12 m 00 1 2 3 4 5 6
 x: 6E12+2.97E13 = 3.57E13 m
Orbit

Mechanics
203-NYA-05
Greg Mulcair
 Slide 28

Orbit
 An orbit of one thing around another
occurs when the gravitational force
provides the needed centripetal force.
 Recall that the centripetal force can be
found knowing that centripetal acceleration
is: ac = v2/r
 Slide 29

Question
 The moon has a mass of
m = 7.36E22 kg.
 The earth has a mass of
M = 5.98E24 kg
 The mean distance
between the earth and
the moon is 3.82E8 m.
 What is the speed of the
moon in its orbit around
earth?
 Slide 30

Solution
 Find the gravitational force between them:
F = GMm / r 2
F = (6.67E-11)(5.98E24)(7.36E22)/(3.82E8)2
F = 2.01E20 N

 Make this equal to the centripetal force on the

moon, and then solve for v.
FC = mv 2/r
2.01E20 = (7.36E22) v 2 / 3.82E8
v = 1.02E3 m/s
Weight

Mechanics
203-NYA-05
Greg Mulcair
 Slide 32

Question
 What is the force felt by a 7 kg bowling ball
located on the surface of the earth?
 mEarth = mE = 6E24 kg
 mball = mb = 7 kg
 r = distance between centers
= radius of Earth
= 6.378E6 m r
 Slide 33

Question
 What is the force felt by a 7 kg bowling ball
located on the surface of the earth?
GmE mb
FEb 
r2
(6.67 E  11)(6 E 24)(7)

(6.378 E 6) 2
 68.9 N r
 Thisforce is attractive (points
towards the center of the Earth)
 Slide 34

Question
 Given that the mass (7kg) feels a force of
68.9 N, what is it’s acceleration towards
the center of the Earth?

r
 Slide 35

Question
 Given that the mass (7kg) feels a force of
68.9 N, what is it’s acceleration towards
the center of the Earth?
F  ma
F 68.9
a   9.8 m / s 2
m 7
r
 Thisis why at the surface of the Earth,
everything feels an acceleration
downwards of about 9.8 m/s2
 Slide 36

Weight
 This is actually where the formal definition
of weight comes from:
 “The weight of a body is the total gravitational
force exerted on the body by all other bodies in
the universe”.
 The weight of the bowling ball is the
gravitational force we just found: F = 68.9 N
 We get the same result at the surface of the
earth using: W = mg = (7)(9.81) = 68.7 N
Gravitational field

Mechanics
203-NYA-05
Greg Mulcair
 Slide 38

Gravitational field
 We just learned that the force felt by an
object due to the Earth…
GmE mb
FEb 
r2

 …is the same as the weight calculated

using the mass and the gravitational field:
W  mb g
 Slide 39

Gravitational field
 If we equate the two and divide by the
mass of the object we get:
W  FEb
GmE mb
mb g 
r2
GmE
g 2
r
 Slide 40

Gravitational field
 For the Earth, this turns out to be the
familiar value we know:
GmE
g  2  9.81 m / s 2
r
 We call this the gravitational field.
 Notice that the field is created by the Earth
and is independent of any masses that may or
may not be in the field.
 Slide 41

Gravitational field
 Once the gravitational field strength has
been obtained for a particular object (in
this case, the Earth):
GmE
g  2  9.81 m / s 2
r
 We can find the force felt by any object in
that field by simply multiplying that object’s
mass (m) by the field: Fg  W  mg
 Slide 42

Gravitational field
 This concept of one object creating a field:
Gm1
g 2
r
 …that exerts a force on another object
located somewhere in that field:
Fg  m2 g

 …will be something you see again in NYB…

 Slide 43

Gm1
Question g 2
r

 Calculate the gravitational field strength

due to the Earth at:
 the top of Snowdon in Wales (height 1000m)
 the top of Mount Everest (height 10 000m)
 the height of the orbit of the International
Space Station (height 300 km)

 Earth: m= 6E24 kg r = 6.378E6 m

 Slide 44

Answer
 The gravitational field strength, g, due to
the Earth at the top of Snowdon in Wales
(height 1000m)
GmE
g 2
r
(6.67 E  11)(6 E 24)

(6.378 E 6  1E 3) 2
 9.835 m / s 2
 Slide 45

Answer
 The gravitational field strength, g, due to
the Earth at the top of Mount Everest
(height 10 000m)
GmE
g 2
r
(6.67 E  11)(6 E 24)

(6.378 E 6  1E 4) 2
 9.807 m / s 2
 Slide 46

Answer
 The gravitational field strength, g, due to
the Earth at the height of the orbit of the
International Space Station (height 300 km)
GmE
g 2
r
(6.67 E  11)(6 E 24)

(6.378 E 6  3E 5) 2
 8.974 m / s 2