Page 1 of 4 in Universal Gravity
This text is meant to accompany class discussions. It is not everything there is to know about planetary motion. It is meant as a  prep for class. More detailed notes and examples are given in the class notes, presentations, and demonstrations (click here.)
Click here to view the reading questions for this topic.
Notes
Summary notes and examples on combining circular motion and universal gravity and Kepler's Laws.
Animation
Animation showing Kepler's 3 laws of planetary motion
Presentation from class
Kepler's Laws presentation Includes Examples problems
Presentation from class
Newton's Universal Law of Gravity Presentation Includes the inverse square law, universal gravity and solved examples when applying this to orbital motion.
Quiz 1
Online Pre-Test #1
Remember this is only a sampling of the test questions.
quiz 2
Online Pre-Test #2: This pretest only asks questions about how to use the inverse sqaure relationship to solve ratio problems.
Reading Source
Kepler's laws of planetary motion resource
Mastery Assignment
Mastery Assignment (This assignment is combined with Kepler's laws of planetary motion.)
Some solutions to Universal Gravity problems in the Physics Resource Book
Some solutions to the word problems
Objectives

Students will be able to:

Newton's Law of Universal Gravity

  • Do not memorize the value of "G."
  • Write the formula for the relationship between the masses, distance of seperation, and the gravitational force.
  • Describe what an inverse square law is in a complete sentence.
  • Use the concept of an inverse square law to solve problems between distance and gravitational force given the factor of change for the distance.
  • Use the concept of an inverse square law to solve problems between distance and gravitational force given the factor of change for the gravitational force.

Orbital Mechanics

  • Solve probelms involving gravity, tangential velocity, period of moiton and the centripetal force bewtween a body and a satellite.
  • Define geosynchronous orbit in a sentance
  • Describe what an "AU" measures. Do not memorize the measurement in meters, feet, miles, etc.
  • Read a table of astronimical data.
 

by Tony Wayne ...(If you are a teacher, please feel free to use these resources in your teaching.)

The owner of this website does not collect cookies when the site is visited. However, this site uses and or embeds Adobe, Apple, GoDaddy, Google, and YouTube products. These companies collect cookies when their producs are used on my pages. Click here to go to them to find out more about how they use their cookies. If you do not agree with any of their policies then leave this site now.