Gravitational Fields

A force field is a region where a body experiences a non-contact force, a gravitational field is an
example of this. Only objects with a large mass can produce a gravitational field which has a
significant effect on other masses.

Gravitational field lines are arrows that show the direction of gravitational force in a gravitational
field. Gravitational forces are always attractive. The gravitational field of earth is radial and the field
lines will meet at the centre of mass of the earth. At the surface of the Earth, the field lines can be
assumed to be uniform. This means that they are parallel and equally spaced, so the gravitational field
strength is constant here.

Newton’s law of gravitation states that the force from a gravitational field is directly proportional to
the product of the two masses and inversely proportional to the distance between them squared.
𝐺𝑀𝑚
𝐹=
𝑟2
The force calculated from this equation is a magnitude only as force is a vector quantity.

This law of gravitation follows the inverse square law, meaning that if the distance between the mass
increases, then the force will decrease. If the distance doubles, then the force will be ¼ as strong as it
previously was. The spread of field lines in a radial field shows this as the spacing between the lines
becomes increasingly bigger.

GRAVITATIONAL FIELD STRENGTH – The force felt per unit mass by an object in a gravitational
field.

𝐹
𝑔=
𝑚
The following equation is for a uniform gravitational field as the same force will be
felt for objects of the same mass at any point in a uniform gravitational field. Radial
fields follow the inverse square law again. The equation for the gravitational field
strength in a radial field is. The graph shows this inverse square law relationship. It
is for the gravitational field strength on Earth, so the graph does not start until the
radius of the Earth is exceeded.

𝐺𝑀
𝑔=
𝑟2
These fields are vector fields so their combined effect can be calculated by adding them up.

GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL – The work done per unit mass in moving a point mass from infinity
to that point in a gravitational field.

Gravitational potential is always negative, as an object leaving a gravitational

field must do work done as the mass is attracted to it, meaning that no work
must actually be done to enter it. Gravitational potential can be calculated by:
𝐺𝑀
𝑉= −
𝑟
The gradient of the graph above will give the value of the negative of the gravitational field strength at
that point. The area under the curve will give the change is gravitational potential between two radial
distances.

The amount of energy required to move an object in a gravitational field

∆𝑊 = 𝑚∆𝑉
EQUIPOTENTIALS – Lines that are joined up to represent points that have the same gravitational
potential as one another.
For objects that have a spherical surface, equipotentials are spherical. No work must be done to move
an object along an equipotential.

Satellites and planets are kept in orbit by gravitational forces. The force that acts on these objects is
both centripetal force and gravitational force. The size of these two forces can be assumed to be equal
to one another in order for them to be in a stable orbit. They can be equated to prove the relationship:
𝑇 2 ∝ 𝑅3

When plotting a graph showing this relationship to be directly proportional, logarithmic paper must
be used as orbital radius varies a large amount between different planets.

A satellite will have a constant amount of energy. In a circular orbits, potential energy and kinetic
energy are constant, in an elliptical orbit, their sum is constant but the two types of energy are
constantly being switched between.

ESCAPE VELOCITY – The minimum speed an unpowered object needs in order to leave the
gravitational field of an object and not fall back towards the planet due to gravitational attraction.

2𝐺𝑀
𝑣= √
𝑟
The value of r is the distance from the centre of mass of both objects.

SYNCHRONOUS ORBIT – An orbiting object that has the same orbital period as the rotational period
of the object it is orbiting.

Geostationary satellites have an orbital period of 24 hours and orbit around 36000km above the
earth’s surface. They are used for communications as they maintain a fixed position relative to the
Earth’s surface. They orbit westerly around the equator and do not require a steerable dish.

Low orbiting satellites are cheaper to launch than geostationary satellites as they do not have as high
of an altitude. They require a steerable dish and can be used for surveillance as they pass over the
whole of the Earth in one day. They can see the Earth’s surface in much greater detail than
geostationary satellites.