The law of gravitation

Learning objectives
• Solve problems where the gravitational force plays the role of a
centripetal force, in particular orbital motion.
• Use the concepts of gravitational force, gravitational field strength,
orbital speed and orbital period.
• Determine the net gravitational field strength due to two point
masses.
 Newton’s law of gravitation
The law of gravitation makes it possible to
calculate the orbits of the planets around the
Sun, and predicts the motion of comets,
satellites and entire galaxies.

F=G

Where and are the masses of the attracting bodies, r the distance between their
centers of mass and G a constant called Newton’s constant of universal
gravitation. It has the value G = 6.667×Nm2kg-2. The direction of the force is
along the line joining the two masses
 Gravitational Field Strength
 A uniform gravitational field is one where
the field lines are always the same
distance apart - this is almost exactly true
close to the Earth's surface (Figure 1(a).
 However if we move back and look at the
planet from a distance the field lines
clearly radiate outwards (Figure 1(b)),
getting further apart as the distance from
the Earth increases.
 When viewed from an even greater
distance the complete field can be seen
(Figure 1(c)). Such a field is called a radial
field - the field intensity (g) decreasing
with distance.
 Gravitational Field Strength
The gravitational field strength(g) at a certain point is the
gravitational force(f) per unit mass experienced by a small
point mass (m) placed at that point.
So the gravitational field
strength of the spherical mass
is:

The unit of gravitational field strength is

Estimate the force between the Sun and the Earth.

Determine the acceleration of free fall (the gravitational field strength) on a planet 10 times as massive as
the Earth and with a radius 20 times as large.

Calculate the acceleration of free fall at a height of 300km from the surface of the Earth (the
Earth’s radius, is 6.38 × 10^6m and its mass is 6.0 × 10^24kg)

Determine the acceleration of free fall (the gravitational field strength) on a

planet 10 times as massive as the Earth and with a radius 20 times as large.
 ORBITAL MOTION

 When a ball is thrown horizontally on

Earth, it will follow a parabolic path
toward the ground.
 During its flight, the ball
simultaneously experiences a constant
downward acceleration and a constant
forward velocity.
 To an observer, it appears that the
ball is moving in a parabola relative
to a flat Earth.
 ORBITAL MOTION

 Newton hypothesized that if a ball could be

thrown with sufficient forward velocity, it
would travel so quickly that the acceleration
pulling it downward would not bring it to Earth.
This is
because the spherical Earth would curve out of
the ball’s way as it fell. Today, satellites in orbit
are able to do this with speeds exceeding 7,900
meters per second (17,500 miles per hour)
 ORBITAL VELOCITY
Orbital velocity is the speed required to achieve
orbit around a celestial body, such as a planet or a star.
Figure shows a particle of mass m orbiting a larger body of mass M in
a circular orbit of radius r.
To maintain a constant orbit there must be no frictional forces, so the
only force on the particle is the force of gravitation,
=G provides the centripetal force, on the particle.

At surface

or
PERIOD OF A PLANET
The speed in a circular orbit of radius r,. But we know that
. Squaring and equating both

and , Equating

= 2 4𝜋 𝑟
2 3
𝑇 =
𝐺𝑀

This shows that the period of planets going around the Sun is
proportional to the 3/2 power of the orbit radius.
 Gravitational Potential Energy

Energy or work
required in taking
the body against
the gravitational
attraction to a
region beyond the
gravitational filed
of Earth
Gravitational Potential Energy
 ESCAPE VELOCITY
When an object is thrown away from the Earth’s
Escape velocity on earth (or any surface then its kinetic energy changes into its
other planet) is defined as the minimum gravitational potential energy.
velocity with which the body has to be
projected vertically upwards from the
surface of earth (or any other planet)
so that it just (escapes) crosses the
gravitational field of earth (or of that
planet) and never returns on its own .

or
Relation between escape velocity and orbital velocity

Hence, it is clear that if due to any reason the orbital

velocity is done √ 2 times, the satellite would escape
from its orbit.
 Kepler’s First Law of Planetary Motion
Each planet or comet moves in an elliptical orbit, with the sun at
one focus of the ellipse.
 Kepler’s Second Law of Planetary Motion
A line from the sun to a given planet sweeps out equal areas in equal time.
 Kepler’s Third Law of Planetary Motion
The periods of the planets are proportional to the 3/2 power of the
major axis length of their orbits.

a
 Kepler’s Third Law of Planetary Motion
The periods of the planets are proportional to the 3/2 power of the
major axis length of their orbits.
where:
•T = planet's sidereal period
•r = radius of the planet's circular orbit
•G = the gravitational constant
•M = mass of the sun

by:
•T = object's sidereal period
•a = object's semimajor axis
•G = the gravitational constant =
6.67 × 10 −11 N m²/kg²
•M = mass of one object
•m = mass of the other object
 Kepler’s Third Law of Planetary Motion
The periods of the planets are proportional to the 3/2 power of the
major axis length of their orbits.
where:
•T = planet's sidereal period
•r = radius of the planet's circular orbit
•G = the gravitational constant
•M = mass of the sun

by:
•T = object's sidereal period
•a = object's semimajor axis
•G = the gravitational constant =
6.67 × 10 −11 N m²/kg²
•M = mass of one object
•m = mass of the other object
Suppose the radius of Earth is 6.38 × 10^6 m and the mass of the planet earth is 5.98 × 10^24 kg. Find out
the escape velocity from planet earth.
In order to leave the moon, the Apollo astronauts had to take off
in the lunar mobile and reach the escape velocity of the moon.
The radius of the moon is 1.74 × 10^6 m, and the mass of the
moon is 7.35 × 10^22 kg. Calculate the velocity which the
Apollo astronauts have to reach in order to leave the moon?