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Gravitation Newton's Law of Gravitation Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion
Gravitation Newton's Law of Gravitation Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion
More generally,
m1m2
F G 2 (This force is always Attractive)
r
11
G 6.67 10 Nm /kg
2 2
Revisiting Gravitational Force
F mg
More Specifically,
FFrom Earth on an Object mobject g
Where , g is the acceleration due to the
earth’s gravitational attraction.
Mm
But since F mg with F G 2
R
GM
g 2 (acceleration due to gravity on the earth)
R
Characteristics of the
Gravitational Force
m1m2
F G 2
•The force is always attractive. r
•There is a Newton’s third law force pair involved.
•It acts along a line connecting the centers of the two objects
(called a Central Force)
•It is inversely proportional to r2 (called a “one over r squared”
force)
•Experimental measurement show us that it is a conservative
force (the gravitational force on earth is conservative-remember?
This is a general expression of that same force)
Defining the Potential Energy
Associated with this Force
U U b U a Wab
b b
Wab Fds F dr
a a
m1m2
F G 2
r
POTENTIAL ENERGY
• Choose U = 0 at r =
r
U F dr
GMm
U
r
Gravitational Potential Energy
Near Earth
GMm
U
R
KEPLER'S LAWS
1. The Law of Orbits: All planets move in
elliptical orbits having the Sun at one
focus.
2. The Law of Areas: A line joining any planet
to the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal
times.
The Law of Areas
A 21 (r )r
dA 1 2 d 1 2
2r 2r
dt dt
L constant
L rmv rm r
L mr 2
KEPLER'S LAWS
3. The Law of Periods: The square of the
period of any planet about the Sun is
proportional to the cube of the semimajor
axis of its orbit.
The Law of Periods
F ma
GMm
2
m r 2
r
2
GM 2
2
r 3 T
( 2 ) 2
T2 r3
GM
ENERGY IN CIRCULAR
ORBITS
GM
K mv m
1
2
2 1
2
r
GMm
K
2r
GMm
U
r
GMm
E U K
2r