28/02/2020

LAW OF UNIVERSAL
GRAVITATION
prepared
and
presented by:
Jose Marie C. Malgapo,
ECE, LPT

At the end of the lesson, you are able to,

 analyze the Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation;

 calculate the gravitational forces that any two

bodies exert on each other; and

 relate the weight of an object to

the general expression for
gravitational force.

Intended Learning Outcomes

2
 28/02/2020

Newton’s Law of
Gravitation (1687)
“Every particle of matter in the universe
attracts every other particle with a force
that is directly proportional to the
product of the masses of the
particles and
inversely proportional to the
square of the distance
between them.”
3

Newton’s Law of Gravitation

𝒎𝟏 𝑭𝒈( )

𝑭𝒈( )

where 𝒎𝟐

𝐹 is the magnitude of gravitational force on either particle

𝑚 and 𝑚 are their masses
𝑟 is the distance between them
𝑚
𝐺 is the gravitational constant 𝐺 = 6.67428 × 10 𝑁
𝑘𝑔
4
 28/02/2020

Newton’s Law of Gravitation

𝒎𝟏
𝑭𝒈( )
𝑭𝒈( )

𝒎𝟐
𝑭𝒈( ) 𝑭𝒈( )

(even if 𝑚 and 𝑚 are different)

When you fall from a diving board into a

swimming pool, the entire earth rises up
to meet you!

6
 28/02/2020

1. Determine the direction of the

gravitational force applied by Earth on
the moon.
2. Determine the direction of the
gravitational force applied by moon
on the Earth.
3. The Earth has a mass of 5.972 × 10 𝑘𝑔, while the moon has
a mass of 7.34767309 × 10 𝑘𝑔. If the distance between
them is 3.844 × 10 𝑘𝑚. Determine the magnitude of the
gravitational force applied by Earth on the moon.
4. Determine the magnitude of the
gravitational force applied by SAMPLE PROBLEM
moon on Earth.
7

8.00 × 10 𝑘𝑔
Many stars in the sky are actually systems of two
or more stars held together by their mutual
gravitational attraction.
The figure shows a three-star system at an
instant when the stars are at the vertices
of a 45° right triangle.
𝑟 = 2.00 × 10 𝑘𝑚
Find the magnitude and direction of
the total gravitational force exerted on
the small star by the two large ones.
45°
PRACTICE
PROBLEM 1.00 × 10 𝑘𝑔
8.00 × 10 𝑘𝑔

8
 28/02/2020

Angle WRT
MAGNITUDE
+ X-AXIS
(𝑴) 𝑴𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 𝑴𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽
(𝜽)

𝐹 = 0.6674 × 10 𝑁 45° 0.4719 × 10 0.4719 × 10

𝐹 = 1.3349 × 10 𝑁 0° 0 1.3349 × 10 𝑁

𝑭𝑹 = 𝟏. 𝟖𝟔𝟕𝟒 × 𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟎 𝑵 𝟏𝟒. 𝟔𝟑𝟕𝟓° 0.4719 × 10 1.8068 × 10

𝟏
𝑹𝒚
𝑹𝒚 𝟐 + 𝑹𝒙 𝟐 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝑹𝒚 = 𝑴𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 𝑹𝒙 = 𝑴𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽
𝑹𝒙
9

Gravitational Constant ( )
measured with an instrument called
a torsion balance,
which Sir Henry Cavendish
used in 1798

or

10
 28/02/2020

Gravitational Constant ( )

11

12
 28/02/2020

 very substantial between

objects that are the size of stars
 the most important force on
the scale of planets, stars, and
galaxies
 it acts at a distance, without any
direct contact between bodies

Significance: Gravitational Forces

13

WEIGHT
The weight of a body is the total
gravitational force exerted on the body
by all other bodies in the universe.
𝑤 = 𝑚𝑔

14
 28/02/2020

2 kinds of MASSES
Inertial Mass equal to the net force exerted on the
object divided by the acceleration of
𝐹 the object.
𝑚 =
𝑎

Gravitational Mass equal to the distance between the

objects squared, times the gravitational
𝐹 𝑟 force, divided by the product of the
𝑚 = universal gravitational constant, times
𝐺𝑚
the mass of the other object.

15

An unmanned lander is sent to the surface of the planet Mars, which

has radius 𝑟 = 3.40 × 10 𝑚 and mass 𝑚 = 6.42 × 10 𝑘𝑔.
The earth weight of the Mars lander is
3430 𝑁. Calculate its weight 𝐹 and the
acceleration 𝑔 due to the gravity of Mars:
a) 6.0 × 10 𝑚 above the surface of
Mars (the distance at which the
moon Phobos orbits Mars); and
b) at the surface of Mars.
• Neglect the gravitational effects
of the (very small moons of Mars.)

PRACTICE PROBLEM
16
 28/02/2020

Newton Einstein

Newton’s law of
universal gravitation
only explains how masses
interact with each other.
17
It is
Einstein’s theory of
general relativity
that explains the cause of this
interaction.

References  Caintic, H. E. (n.d.). GENERAL PHYSICS 1

FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL. Quezon
City, Philippines: C & E Publishing.

 Young, H. D., Geller, R. M., & Sears, F. W.

(2007). College physics. San Francisco:
Pearson/Addison Wesley.

 Young, H. D., Freedman, R. A., Ford, A. L.,

& Sears, F. W. (2016). Sears & Zemanskys
University physics. Boston: Pearson.

 Zitzewitz, P. W. et.al. (2005). PHYSICS

Principles and Problems. Ohio: The
McGraw-Hill Companies.

18
 28/02/2020

“Gravity explains the

motion of the planets,

but it cannot explain WHO

sets the planets in motion.”
Sir Isaac Newton
19