Section 09: Gravitational Forces, Planetary Motion, and Satellite Motion

Goal: To trace the concept of gravity from early man to Newton and then to Einstein.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

- explain Newton’s idea that the moon, like an apple, falls toward the earth.

- explain why the moon does not fall into the earth, nor the planets into the sun.

- state Newton’s law of universal gravitation.

- explain the significance of an inverse-square law.

- explain how G was originally derived and what it means

- distinguish between g (the acceleration due to gravity), G (the universal gravitational constant) and Fg

- describe a gravitational field.

- describe the gravitational field of the earth both inside and outside the earth’s surface.

- explain why an astronaut in earth orbit seems weightless even though there is a gravitational force on the astronaut.

- describe and explain Kepler’s three laws and use them to describe planetary motion.

- explain how the moon and sun cause the ocean tides.

- give examples of tides other than those in water.

- describe how a black hole is formed.

- Be able to calculate g for any object, Fg between any two bodies and Vt, R, and T, for planetary motion.

Labs: Inverse Square Law and Light Intensity

Worksheets See Below.

Conceptual Development Worksheets ("Conceptual" will be in the title).

Reading Assignment: Chapters 9 & 10

Extra Credit: None at this time, but if you have any ideas, write up a proposal and I'll review it for consideration

Class Updates/Test/Quiz Schedule: Check your SOE.