Where do objects get their energy?

Energy makes matter move.

Energy is always 'conserved'

Conservation of Energy
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed
The total energy content of the universe was
determined at the Big Bang and remains
constant to this day
Energy can change form or can transfer
between objects

Basic Types of Energy

Kinetic (motion)
Radiative (light)
Stored or potential

Energy can change type

but cannot be destroyed.

Mass-Energy
Mass itself is a form of potential energy

E = mc

A small amount of mass can

release a great deal of energy
Concentrated energy can
spontaneously turn into
particles (for example, in
particle accelerators)

Gravitational Potential Energy

(a form of Stored Energy)
On Earth, depends on:
objects mass (m)
strength of gravity (g)
distance object could
potentially fall

Gravitational Potential Energy

In space, an object or gas cloud has more gravitational
energy when it is spread out than when it contracts.
A contracting cloud converts gravitational potential
energy to thermal energy.

What have we learned?

Where do objects get their energy?
Conservation of energy: energy cannot be
created or destroyed but only transformed from
one type to another.
Energy comes in three basic types: kinetic,
potential, radiative.
One type of kinetic energy is Thermal Energy
(the movement of particles)
One type of potential (or stored) energy is
Gravitational Energy

The Universal Law of

Gravitation
Our goals for learning:
What determines the strength of gravity?
How do gravity and energy together allow
us to understand orbits?
How does Newtons law of gravity extend
Keplers laws?
Why do all objects fall at the same rate?

What determines the strength of gravity?

The Universal Law of Gravitation:
Every mass attracts every other mass.
Attraction is directly proportional to the product
of their masses.
Attraction is inversely proportional to the
square of the distance between their centers.

How do gravity and energy together

allow us to understand orbits?
More stored gravitational energy;
Less kinetic energy

Total orbital
energy
(gravitational +
kinetic) stays
constant if there
is no external
force
Orbits cannot
Less stored gravitational energy; change
More kinetic energy
spontaneously.

Total orbital energy stays constant

Center of Mass
Orbiting objects
actually orbit around
a common center of
mass.
The location of that
center depends on
where most of the
mass is located.

How does Newtons law of gravity extend

Keplers laws?
Newton's relationship between the orbital
period and average orbital distance of a
system tells us the total mass of the system.
Examples:
Earths orbital period (1 year) and average distance
(1 AU) tell us the Suns mass.
Orbital period and distance of a satellite from Earth
tell us Earths mass.
Orbital period and distance of a moon of Jupiter tell
us Jupiters mass.

Newtons Version of Keplers Third Law

2

4p
4p a
2
3
p =
a O R M 1 + M2=
GM 1 + M2
G p2
p = orbital period
a=average orbital distance (between centers)
(M1 + M2) = sum of object masses
The result:
The masses of any orbiting bodies can be
calculated from the size or period of their orbit
(measureable quantities!)

This technique is used to calculate the mass

of distant objects which we cannot measure,
by using motions that we can measure.
The mass of the Sun and all the planets was
derived this way. Binary stars and extra-solar
planet properties are derivied this way.
highlighted.

What have we learned?

What determines the strength of gravity?
Directly proportional to the product of the masses
(M x m)

Inversely proportional to the square of the

separation
How does Newtons law of gravity allow us to extend
Keplers laws?
Applies to other objects, not just planets.
Can be used to measure mass of orbiting
systems.

Tides and Gravity

Our goals for learning:
How does gravity cause tides?
How does the competing gravity from the
Sun and the Moon affect tide height?
How does the Moon's gravity affect the
Earth's rotation?

Gravity Force of the Moon on the Earth

Moons gravity pulls harder on the near side of

Earth than on the far side
The difference in the Moons gravitational pull,
stretches Earth (called the 'tidal force')
Similar to pulling on 1 end of a rubberband

Tidal Bulge of Earth

Low Tide

High
Tide

High
Tide

Low Tide

Earth rotates under the bulge

Your location moves from under the high
water, into the low water and out again.
You see two tides/day
Low Tide

High
Tide

High
Tide

Low Tide

Tidal range of 2-4m,

(6-12 feet)

Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia

Tides
of
40-52
feet

Tides and Phases

Size of tides depends
on the phase of Moon
Sun & Moons gravities
acting together = Large tides

Sun & Moons gravities

acting at odds = weakened tides

Tidal Friction
The tidal bulge points toward the Moon and drags on
the Earth as Earth rotates under it.

As a Result:
The Earths rotation slows down (days get longer)
The Moon accelerates (it moves further away from us)

What have we learned?

How does gravity cause tides?
Moons gravity stretches Earth and its oceans
How does the competing gravity from the Sun
and the Moon affect tide height?
When the Sun and Moon are along on the
same line their gravities combine and tides are
higher.
How does the Moon's gravity affect the Earth's
rotation?
The Moon pulls the tidal bulge back, which
slows the Earth (called tidal friction)