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.