Lecture 9

UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION
 OUTLINES
 Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
 The Gravitational Field and the Relation between g and
G
 Gravitational Potential Energy for the Earth
 Satellite in Circular Orbit
 Total Energy of The Satellite
 Escape Speed from Earth
 Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
 If two particles with masses m1 and m2 are separated by a
distance r, then a gravitational force acts along a line joining them,
with magnitude given by

 G is the constant of universal gravitational

 G = 6.673 x 10-11 N m² /kg²
 GRAVITATIONAL LAW ALWAYS ATTRACTIVE
 Universal Gravitation
 The force that mass 1
exerts on mass 2 is
equal and opposite to
the force mass 2
exerts on mass 1.
 The forces form a
Newton’s third law of
action-reaction pair.
 The gravitational force exerted by a uniform sphere on a particle outside the
sphere is the same as the force exerted if the entire mass of the sphere were
concentrated at its centre
 This is called Gauss’ Law
Gravitational Force between Earth and Moon
 Definition of Weight
The weight of an object on or above the earth is the
gravitational force that the earth exerts on the object. The
weight always acts downwards, toward the centre of the
earth.

On or above another astronomical body, the weight is the

gravitational force exerted on the object by that body
(planet/stars).

SI Unit of Weight: newton (N)

 The Gravitational Field and the
Relation Between g and G
Whereby G is the Gravitational constant:

G  6.67 1011 N  m 2 kg 2

M Em
F G 2
r

F  W  mg M Em
mg  G 2
So r
Gravitational acceleration on ME
earth is given by: g G 2
r
 ME
g G 2
r
h
On the surface of the Earth
ME
g G 2
RE

r  RE  h
 Gravity On The Earth’s Surface:

ME given: radius of the earth, R E  6.38 106 m

g G 2 mass of the earth, M E  5.98 1024 kg
RE

  6.67 10
 5.98 10 kg 
24
11
N  m kg
2 2

 6.38 10 m 
6 2

 9.80 m s 2
Example 1

Calculate the gravitational force between a 5.2 kg particle and 2.4

kg particle separated at a distance of 20 m.
Solution:
M 1M 2
F G G  6.67 1011 N  m 2 kg 2
r2
11 (5.2 kg)(2.4 kg)
 (6.7 10 2
Nm kg ) 2
2
(20 m)
12
 2.110 N
Example 2
What is the acceleration due to gravity at an altitude of
1.00 × 106 m above the earth’s surface? Note: the radius
of the earth is 6.38 × 106 m.
Solution:
Replace RE with
r = h+ RE = 1.00 × 106 m + 6.38 × 106 m = 7.38 × 106 m
mE
g G 2
r

 
24
11 (5.98 10 kg )
 6.67 10 Nm kg
2 2

(7.38 106 m) 2
 7.32 m s  2
 Applications of Universal Gravitation
 Acceleration due to gravity
g will vary with altitude

As r increases, the g will decreases,

hence it is easier to escape from earth

 In general,
Example 3
An astronaut standing on the surface of Ceres, the largest asteroid, drops a
rock from a height of 10.0 m. it takes 8.06 s to hit the ground.
(a) Calculate the acceleration of gravity on Ceres.

1 2
y  vot  a y t
2

1
10.0 m   0  8.06 s     gCeres  8.06 s 
2

gCeres  0.308 m/s 2

(b)Find the mass of Ceres, given that the radius of Ceres is Rc  5.10 10 2 km
.
Mc
gc  G 2
Rc
g c  0.308 m/s 2

Mc 
gc R
 c 
0.308 m/s 5.10 10 m
2 2
 5
2

 1.20 10 21 kg
11 1 3  2
G 6.67 10 kg m s
 Gravitational Potential Energy
 PE = mgh is valid only near the earth’s surface
 For objects high above the earth’s surface (such as satellites), an alternate
expression is needed

 Pay attention to the r PE

Force
  With r > REarth
 Zero reference level is infinitely
far from the earth
Or U

Gravitational potential
energy associated with an = negative of the work done by
the force of gravity in
object moving the object

As you climbing up the stairs, you are doing negative work done by the gravitational force
= you are against gravitational force
 Gravitational Potential Energy
More often we use U than PE,
So
MEm
U  G U
r
 Zero reference level is at
infinity

MEm
U  G 0

13.6: Gravitational Potential Energy

= -DU

where W is the work done by the conservative force to move the ball from point P
(at distance R) to infinity.
Work can also be expressed in terms
of potential energies as
 Gravitational Potential Energy
MEm
U  G
r
U
Q1: What is the greatest U for an
object of mass m ?
Q2: What is the smallest U for
an object of mass m ?
U max  0
MEm
U min  G
RE
 Example 4
An asteroid with mass m = 1.00x109 kg comes from deep space, effectively from infinity,
and falls toward Earth. Find the velocity of the asteroid when it reaches a point 4.00x108
m from the centre of the Earth (just beyond the orbital radius of the Moon).Given G =
6.673 x 10-11 N m² /kg²,ME = 5.98 x 1024 kg
Use Conservation of Energy

Ei  E f
U i K i  U f  K f

0  0    GM E m 1
 mv 2f
rf 2
2GM E
v 2f 
rf
2(6.67  10 11 )(5.98  10 24 )
vf   1.41  10 3
m/s
4  10 8
Example 5
A projectile is shot directly away from Earth’s surface at velocity 1.5x104 m/s.
Neglect the rotation of Earth. What is the velocity of the projectile when it is at a
height of 2RE ?
Given G = 6.673 x 10-11 N m² /kg², RE = 6.38x106 m, ME = 5.98 x 1024 kg
v?
RE

RE
u  1.5 104 m/s

RE
 Ei  E f
U  KE i  U  KE  f v?

M Em 1 2 M Em 1 2 RE
G  mvi  G  mv f
RE 2 3RE 2 U
M Em M Em 1 2 1 2
G G  mvi  mv f RE
3RE RE 2 2 u  1.5 104 m/s

M Em  1  1 2 1 2
G   1  mvi  mv f RE
RE  3  2 2
M Em  2  1 2 1 2
G     mvi  mv f
RE  3  2 2
 ME  2 1 2 1 2
G     vi  v f
RE  3 2 2

 ME  2 1 2
vf  2G     vi 
 RE  3 2 
  2  (6.67 1011 )(5.98 1024 ) 1 4 2
 2    (1.5 10 ) 
 3  (6.38 10 )6
2 

 11.9 10 m/s

3
 Escape Speed from Earth
 If an object is launched with a large enough speed, it
can soar off into space and never return.
 This is called the escape speed.
 An object of mass m is projected upward from the
Earth’s surface with an initial speed, vi
 Use energy considerations to find the minimum value of
the initial speed needed to allow the object to move
infinitely far away from the Earth
 Escape Speed from Earth
Ei  E f infinitely far
away from the
Ki  Ui  K f  U f Earth

Assume the escape speed is large enough that the object

reach infinity with a speed zero

1  GM E m 
mv i   
2
  0  0
2  RE 
2GM E
v 
2
i
RE

2GM E
vescape 
RE
 Escape Speed from Earth
 The escape speed is the speed needed for an object to soar off into space
and not return
2GM E
vescape 
RE
 For the Earth, vesc is about 11.2 km/s
 Note, v is independent of the mass of the object

11.5 and 11.8 km/s

relative to Earth

VIDEO 1
VIDEO 2
 Example 6
The escape speed from the surface of the Earth is 11.2 km/s. Estimate the escape speed
for a spacecraft from the surface of the Moon. The Moon has a mass 1/81 that of Earth and
a radius 0.25 that of Earth.
Solution 1 
2G M E 
vesc ,m
  81  
RE
2GM E
vesc. E  (1) 11.2 0.25RE  2GM E
RE
2GM m
vesc.m  (2)
Rm vesc.m  2.44 km/s
2GM m
vesc ,m Rm
(2)  (1) 
vesc , E 2GM E
RE
vesc ,m 2GM m RE
 
vesc , E Rm 2GM E
 Various Escape Speeds
 The escape speeds for various
members of the solar system

2GM p
vesc 
Rp

 Escape speed is one factor that

determines a planet’s atmosphere.
(Temperature is the other factor)
 Mercury does not have atmosphere
because of low escape velocity.
 Example 7
In Jules Verne’s classic novel From the Earth to the Moon, a giant cannon dug into
the Earth in Florida fired a spacecraft all the way to the Moon.
(a) If the spacecraft leaves the cannon at escape speed, at what speed is it
moving when 1.50x105 km from the centre of Earth? Neglect any friction
effects.
Given G = 6.673 x10-11N m² /kg², RE = 6.38x106 m and ME = 5.98 x 1024 kg.
Ei  E f
1 2 GM E m 1 2 GM E m
mvi  ( )  mv f  ( )
2 RE 2 rf

vi  vesc 
2GM E

 
2 6.67 10 11 5.98 10 24 
RE 6.38 106
 1.12 10 4 m/s
 1 1 
Solution v  v  2GM E   
2
f
2
esc r R 
 f E 

 
 1.12 10   2  6.67 10 kg    5.98 10  
4 2 11 1 1 1
24
 6 
 1.50  108
6.38  10 
 2.39 103 m/s

(b) Approximately what constant acceleration is needed to propel the

spacecraft to escape speed through a cannon bore 1.00 km long? Given G
= 6.673 x10-11N m² /kg², RE = 6.38x106 m and ME = 5.98 x 1024 kg.
v  v  2ay
2 2
0

1.12 10 
4 2
 0  2a(1.00 103 )
a  6.27 104 m/s 2
Example 8
A projectile is shot directly away from Earth’s surface with escape velocity.
Neglect the rotation of Earth. What is the height of the projectile (from the
earth’s surface) when the velocity is reduced by 50% ?
Given G = 6.673 x 10-11 N m² /kg², RE = 6.38x106 m, ME = 5.98 x 1024 kg
Ei  E f
U  KE i  U  KE  f
M Em 1 2 M Em 1 2
G  mvi  G  mv f
RE 2 Rf 2

2GM E 1 1  2GM E 
vi  vesc  v f  vesc   
RE 2 2 RE 
 2 2
M E m 1  2GM E  M E m 1  1 2GM E 
G  m    G  m  
RE 2  RE  Rf 2 2 RE 

M E m 1  2GM E  M E m 1  1   2GM E 
G  m   G  m  
RE 2  RE  Rf 2  4   RE 

1  1  1  1  1 
      
RE  RE  R f  4   RE 

1  1  1 
0    
R f  4   RE 
R f  4 RE
From the earth’s surface, R f  4 RE  RE  3RE
 Satellites in Circular Orbits
There is only one speed that a satellite can have if the satellite is to remain in an orbit
with a fixed radius.

mM E v2
Fc  G 2  m
r r

GM E
v
r
Note: v is independent of the mass of the object
Period of Satellites in Circular Orbits

GM E 2 r
v But v 
r T

GM E 2 r

r T

2 r 32
T
GM E
Example 10
From a telecommunications point of view, it’s advantageous for satellites to remain at the
same location relative to a location on Earth. This can occur only if the satellite’s orbital
period is the same as the Earth’s period of rotation,24.0 h.
(a) At what distance from the centre of the Earth can this geosynchronous orbit be
found?
 4 2
 3
(a) T  
2
r
2 r 3 2  GM E 
T
GM E 2
T GM E
r 3  4.23  10 7
m
4 2

(b) What’s the orbital speed of the satellite?

d 2r OR use
(b) v  
T T



2π 4.23 107 m
 3.08 

10 3
m/s
v
GM E
r
8.64 10 s
4
 Total Energy of The Satellite
(Centripetal Force = Gravitational Force)

1 2 Mm v 2
KE  mv Fc  G 2  m
2 r r
Mm
G  mv 2

r
1  Mm 
KE   G 
2 r 
 Total Energy of The Satellite
Potential energy is given by:
Mm
U  G
r
ET  KE  U
1  Mm  Mm
ET   G G
2 r  r

1  Mm 
ET    G 
2 r 
Example 11
The moon takes 27 days to go round the Earth in an orbit of radius 3.8 x 108 m. The
mass of the Earth and the moon are 6.0 x 1024 kg and 7.4 x 1022 kg respectively.
Calculate
(a) the gravitational potential energy
Mm
U  G
r
11 (7.4  10 )(6.0  10 )
22 24
 (6.67 10 )  7.79  10 28
J
3.8 10 8

(b) the kinetic energy

1  Mm 
KE   G 
2 r 
(7.4 1022 )(6.0 1024 )
11
 (6.67 10 )  3.9 1028 J
2(3.8 10 )
8

(c) the total energy of the Moon in its orbit.

ET  U  K
 7.79x10 28 J  3.9x10 28 J  3.9 1028 J