SACE Stage 2 Physics

Gravitation and Satellites

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Law of Universal Gravitation
For any two point masses in the universe there is a
force of attraction acting on each mass along the line
joining their centres. Each of these forces has the
same magnitude and this magnitude is directly
proportional to the product of their masses and
inversely proportional to the square of their distance
apart.

F F

m2
m1
2
 Gravitation and Satellites
 Law of Universal Gravitation
The forces obey Newton's Third Law. The forces do
not "cancel" because they act on different objects.

m1m2
F 2
r
m1m2
F  const.  2
r
m1m2
F  G 2
r
G is the Universal Constant of Gravitation = 6.67 x 10-11 N m2 kg-2. 3
 Gravitation and Satellites
 Law of Universal Gravitation
The gravitational attraction between two objects is weak, and
so G is small. E.g., Calculate the gravitational force between
two masses 1 kg and 10 kg a distance 1m apart.

m1m2
F G 2 Note: The force is determined
r by both masses and their
distance apart.
11 1 10
F  6.67  10  2
1 The size (magnitude) of the force
is the same for both objects
F  6.67  10 10 N (direction is opposite).

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 Gravitation and Satellites
 The Value of g at the Earth’s Surface
A person standing on the Earth’s surface has weight, F  mg

Force on the person due to gravity,

mM E
F G 2
r
Where m = the mass of a person on the Earths surface,
ME= the mass of the Earth
r = the radius of the Earth
and g = the acceleration felt by the person toward the
Earth.
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Gravitation and Satellites
 The Value of g at the Earth’s Surface

Fw  Fg
mM E
mg  G
r2
GM
g 2E
r
6.67  10 11  6.0 10 24
g
(6.4  106 ) 2
g  9.8ms  2 towards the centre of the Earth.

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 1
Find the gravitational attraction between the Earth and the
Sun.

M E  5.977  10 24 kg
M S  1.991 1030 kg
rE  1.496 1011 m

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 1
Find the gravitational attraction between the Earth and the
Sun.

m1m2
F G
r2
6.673  10 11  5.977  10 24 1.991 1030

1.496 10 
11 2

 3.548  10 22 N

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 2
Two bodies experience a gravitational force of 4.0 x
10-6N. Body A has a mass of 30 kg and the
distance between their centres of mass is 5.0m.
Find the gravitational force between if,
1. The mass of body B is quadrupled.
2. The mass of body A is changed to 50 kg and the
mass of body B is trebled.
3. The mass of body A is changed to 50 kg and the
distance between them is reduced to 3.0m.

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 2
1. The mass of body B is quadrupled.
mB is multiplied by 4,  F is multiplied by 4
F = 4 x 4.0 x 10-6N = 1.6 x 10-5N.

2. The mass of body A is changed to 50 kg and the

mass of body B is trebled.
mA is multiplied by 5/3 and mB is multiplied by 3
F is multiplied by 5/3 x 3
F = 5 x 4.0 x 10-6N = 2.0 x 10-5N

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 2
3. The mass of body A is changed to 50 kg and the
distance between them is reduced to 3.0m.

mA is multiplied by 5/3 and r is multiplied by 3/5

F is multiplied 5/3 x (5/3)2 = /27
125

F = /27 x 4.0 x 10-6N = 1.85x 10-5N.

125

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 3
The mass of the Earth is 5.977 x 1024kg. The mean radius
of the Moons orbit around the Earth is 3.844 x 108m.
Calculate (in days) the expected period of rotation of the
Moon about the Earth.

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 Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 3
2r
T
v
GM 2  3.844  108
v 
r 1.019  103
6.673 10 11  5.977 10 24  2.371 106 s

3.844 108 2.371 106
 days
 1.019 103 ms 1 3600  24
 27.4 days

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Satellites in Circular Orbits

Planetary Orbits
•Gravitational forces generally are weak.
•If the masses are large enough, then the force is large.
•The gravitational force between the sun and a planet
provides the centripetal force to keep the planet in orbit.

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 Gravitation and Satellites
 Satellites in Circular Orbits

Assume orbit is circular,

The gravitational
attraction provides the FG
centripetal acceleration. Planet
r F (=FG)
Sun

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Satellites in Circular Orbits
Therefore,

Fc  Fg
mpv2 m p ms where mp = mass of planet &
G ms = mass of sun
r r2
ms  2r 
v2  G  but v  
r  T 
4 2 r 2 ms
 2
G
T r
r3 m
 2  G s2
T 4 16
Gravitation and Satellites
 Satellites in Circular Orbits

r3 ms
.  G 2  const
T 2
4
4 2  r 3 
ms   2
G T 

In order3to measure the mass of the Sun, you simply

r
need values for the planets. The radius of orbit and
T2
the period of revolution can both be measured with a
telescope.

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Satellite speeds and radius of orbit
An expression for finding the speed of a satellite at radius r

Fc  Fg
ms v 2 m m
 G E2 s
r r
m mr
 v 2  G E 2s
ms r
mE
v  G
2

r There can only be one

radius of orbit for a
m satellite for a given
v  G E
r speed.
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Gravitation and Satellites
 Weather Satellites
Satellite Orbit
The centre of orbit of a satellite orbiting the Earth must
coincide with the centre of the Earth.
Consider two pucks joined by a piece of string.

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Weather Satellites

If we replace one puck with another puck of twice the

mass, the centre of rotation will shift towards the heavier
mass. As we continue to increase the mass of the heavier
puck so that the mass of the lighter puck (satellite)
becomes negligible to the larger puck (Earth), the centre
of rotation will approach the centre of the larger puck
(Earth).

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Geostationary Satellite
A satellite that remains over a fixed point on the Earths
surface is Geostationary.
Conditions,
•Orbit must be equatorial
•Orbit must be circular (constant speed)
•Radius must corrospond to a period of 23h and 56min
(one day)
•Direction must be the same as the Earths rotation.

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Geostationary Satellite
Launching a Satellite into Orbit
The Earth rotates from West to East. It is very
economical to launch satellites in this direction near the
equator as this rotation can contribute to the final speed
of the satellite.
Low Altitude Orbits (200 to 3000km)
To get greater resolution images, a low orbit satellite is
used. If we reduce r, we must increase speed v which
implies a smaller period T.

2r
T
v
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Gravitation and Satellites
 Polar Orbit
A satellite that orbits pass the poles is in a polar orbit.
With a radius and period chosen so that as the Earth
rotates under it, the satellite passes over the same location
at the same time each day (actually passes over the same
location twice a day).
By adjusting the satellites period, the rotational
displacement can be chosen to be the actual field of view of
the satellite and therefore the entire Earths surface can be
seen.

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 4
A satellite is in polar orbit completing 14.2 orbits of the
Earth in one day. Find,
1. Its height above the Earth in kilometres.
2. The orbital speed of the satellite in km/hr.
ME=5.977 x 1024kg, rE = 6.371 x 106m.

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 4
1. Its height above the Earth in kilometres.
24 24  3600
T hrs  s  6.085  103 s
14.2 14.2
GM E
v
r
GM E
v2 
r
2
 2r  GM E
  
 T  r
4 2 r 2 GM E
2

T r
GM ET 2
r 
3

4 2 25
Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 4
1. Its height above the Earth in kilometres.

GM ET 2
r  3

4 2



6.673  10 11  5.977  10 24  6.085  103 
2

4 2
 374.0  1018
r  3 374.0  1018
r  7.205  106 m (This is the orbital radius of the Satellite)

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 4
The height above the Earths surface is given by,

h  r  rE
 7.205  10  6.371 10
6 6

 8.340  105
 834km

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Gravitation and Satellites
 Example 4
1. The orbital speed of the satellite in km/hr.

2r
v
T
2  7.205 106

6.085 103
 7.44 103 ms 1
 7.44kms 1
 7.44 103  3600kph
 26784kph 28