GRAVITATIONAL LAWS and

CENTRIPETAL MOTIONS
for GENERAL PHYSICS 1/ Grade 12
Quarter 2/ Week 2

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 FOREWORD

Physics is fun. It can be learned by anyone only if one is eager to

understand it. From the moment you sit on a chair, lean on a wall, stir coffee,
look ones reflection in a mirror, or even play with a hula-hoop, physics is there
functioning on almost all aspect of human activities. It is present even from
the basic things we do down to the complicated ones.

In this module, get excited as you go through the activities and

discussions involving Newton’s laws of gravitation from which the reason as to
why the moon doesn’t fall into the earth is derived. Get amazed as you get
to know the importance of gravitational field which is the one responsible for
making the planets and moons interact though they are not in contact.
Learning the gravitational potential energy is just as awesome as riding a
rocket ship for you will know why their speed upon leaving earth must be fast
enough to escape from the gravitational attraction of the earth. Centripetal
motion and circular orbits will also be discussed to let you know that satellites
around the earth are obliged to also move just like it to stay in track – this is
how the NASA satellites work.

Read this module with great enthusiasm for with a pleasant mood,
learning and understanding become an easy task.

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OBJECTIVES
At the end of this Self-Learning Kit, you should be able to:
K: enumerate the significance of the gravitational attraction of the earth to
other bodies; understand the concept of centripetal force.
S: solve problems involving Newton’s gravitational laws and centripetal
acceleration
A: recognize activities that works under the laws of gravitation and centripetal
motion

LEARNING COMPETENCIES
Use Newton’s law of gravitation to infer gravitational force, weight, and
acceleration due to gravity (STEM_GP12G-IIb-16).

Discuss the physical significance of gravitational field (STEM_GP12Red-

IIb-18).

Apply the concept of gravitational potential energy in physics

problems (STEM_GP12Red-IIb-19).

Calculate quantities related to planetary or satellite motion

(STEM_GP12Red-IIb-20).

For circular orbits, relate Kepler’s Third Law of Planetary Motion to

Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation and Centripetal acceleration
(STEM_GP12G-IIc-22).

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I. WHAT HAPPENED
PRE-TEST:

Directions: Accomplish the following tasks on your notebook/answer

sheet.

Activity A: Night Sky

“Beautiful milky way night sky over the

Escaño Beach in Dumaguete City, as captured
by photographer John Martin Ferraris” says one
FB post of Yes The Best Dumaguete.

What questions come to your mind about

a night sky?

Player 2= 50 kg Player 1= 60 kg

Activity B: Ski that Potential Energy

Observe Figure 1. The two ski players

are about to slide down from a height of the
same measurement. With the given values of
their masses, describe the gravitational
potential energy of the two players.

Figure 1- Adapted from Solar Schools,

https://www.google.com/search?q=gravitation
alpotentialenergyexamples

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II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW
DISCUSSION:

Newton’s Law of Gravitation

The idea of an attraction that keeps the Moon circling Earth dawned
on Isaac Newton while he was sitting under an apple tree. He discovered
that the interaction that keeps an apple fall out of a tree is the same
attraction that keeps planets in their orbits around the sun.

In 1687, he published the law of gravitation. It states that: “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” (Young,
Freedman, and Ford 2012, 402–36).

Law of gravitation formula :

where 𝐹g is the magnitude of the gravitational force on

either particle, 𝑚1 and 𝑚2 are their masses, 𝑟 is the
distance between them, and 𝐺 is the fundamental
physical constant called the gravitational constant”
(Young, Freedman, and Ford 2012, 402–36).

The greater the particles’ masses the greater the gravitational force.

The greater the distance between these particles, in inverse proportion

to the square of the distance between them, the weaker the gravitational
force.

“Gravitational interaction of any two bodies having spherically

symmetric mass distributions is the same as though we concentrated all the
mass of each at its center” (Young, Freedman, and Ford 2012, 402– 36). Thus,
if in the case we will consider the gravitational force exerted by Earth on a
comet, the Earth can be treated as a particle since it is spherical and the
comet is outside the Earth (Katz 2017, 184-212). In this case, the gravitational
force acts as if the sphere’s mass is concentrated in the center.

In finding the value of 𝐺, the gravitational constant, we have to

“measure the gravitational force between two bodies of known masses 𝑚1
and 𝑚2 at a known distance. The gravitational
constant is

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 The weight of a body is the total gravitational force exerted on the body
by all other bodies in the universe (Young, Freedman, and Ford 2012, 402–36).

The weight 𝑤 of the small body of mass 𝑚 at the earth’s surface is

The weight 𝑤 of a body is the force that causes the acceleration 𝑔 of free
fall and so by Newton’s second law, 𝑤 = 𝑚𝑔. Equating this with Equation 2, we
get

At a point above the earth’s surface a distance 𝑟 from the center of the
earth, the weight of the body is

SAMPLE PROBLEM

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7
The Gravitational Field

Gravitational field is defined as “equal to the universal gravitational

constant (G) times the object’s mass (M), divided by the square of the
distance from the object’s center (r). The direction is toward the mass’s
center.” In symbols,

The field exerts a force on the particle rather than consider a direct
interaction between two particles. The gravitational field is defined as

The gravitational field at a point in space equals the gravitational force

experienced by a test particle placed at that point divided by the mass of
the test particle. The object creating the field is the source particle. In
essence, “it is describing the “effect” that any object has on the space
around itself in terms of the force that would be present if a second object
were somewhere in that space” (Serway and Jewett 2008, 372 – 375).

“Consider an object of mass m near the Earth’s surface. Because the

gravitational force acting on the object has a magnitude of (where
𝑚𝐸 is the mass of Earth; 𝑟 is the distance from the center of the Earth), the field
at a distance 𝑟 is

𝑟 is a unit vector pointing radially outward from Earth

and the negative sign indicates that the field points
toward the center of the Earth”.

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Gravitational Potential Energy: Revisited

Gravitational potential energy has been defined in a system consisting

of the Earth and an object of mass m near the Earth’s surface and height of
the object above or below some reference level. It is given by 𝑃𝐸 = 𝑚𝑔𝑦. It is
valid if the object is near the Earth’s surface. For objects high above the
Earth’s surface, an alternative must be used because “𝑔 varies with distance
from the surface” (Serway and Vuille 2012).

“The gravitational potential energy associated with an object of mass

𝑚 at a distance 𝑟 from the center of Earth is

Where G – gravitational constant= 6.67𝑥10 − 11𝑁𝑚2/𝑘𝑔2,

ME- mass of the earth= 5.98𝑥1024𝑘𝑔, m = mass of object
where 𝑀E and 𝑅E are the mass and radius of the Earth,
respectively, with 𝑟 > 𝑅E.

Consider Figure 2. As discussed in Young,

Freeman and Lewis (2012, 409-10), where 𝑃𝐸 is
represented by 𝑈, when the body moves away
from the Earth, 𝑟 increases, the gravitational
force does negative work, and 𝑃𝐸 increases.
When the body “falls” toward the Earth, 𝑟
decreases, the gravitational force does positive
work, and 𝑃𝐸 decreases.

APE= change in potential energy

PEF= trial potential energy
Pei= initial potential energy
Retrieved from Young, Freeman and
Lewis (2012)

Figure 2. The gravitational potential

energy depends on r between the
body of mass m and the center of
the Earth.

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10
11
Satellites: Circular Orbits

The Earth’s gravitational attraction is the only force acting on a satellite

in circular orbit around the Earth (Young, Freedman, and Ford 2012, 402–36).
The attraction is directed toward the center of the Earth and toward the
center of the orbit. Satellite is in uniform circular orbit and that it has a
constant speed. They are not falling toward the Earth, but that it is falling
around the Earth. Same authors pointed out that “in a circular orbit the
speed is just right to keep the distance from the satellite to the center of the
Earth constant.”

Combining centripetal acceleration and Newton’s second law, we will get

Solving for the speed of a satellite in circular orbit about Earth, 𝑣, we get

Radius 𝑟, measured from the center of the Earth, and the speed 𝑣 are
not independent; for a given radius 𝑟, the speed 𝑣 for a circular orbit is
determined. The motion of a satellite does not depend on its mass. Deriving
the relationship between the radius 𝑟 of a circular orbit and the period (the
time for one revolution), combining the speed of the satellite equation to
equation 𝑣 = 2𝜋𝑟 𝑇, yields

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 Using the equation for the gravitational potential energy
and speed of satellite in a circular orbit, the total mechanical energy 𝐸 = 𝐾𝐸 +
𝑃𝐸 is determined:

The total mechanical energy in a circular orbit is negative and equal to

one-half the potential energy (Young, Freedman, and Ford 2012, 402–36).

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Kepler’s Third Law of Planetary Motion and Newton’s Universal Law of
Gravitation

Kepler’s Three Laws

1. Planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun as
the focus.

Figure 3 shows a picture of an ellipse. It is

constructed by specifying two focus points, F1
and F2, of the ellipse. All points on the ellipse, such
Adapted from Kepler's Laws
as P in Figure 3, have the property that the sum of
and Newton's Laws
the distance between P and F1 and the distance (mtholyoke.edu)
between P and F2 is a constant. The dimension of
an ellipse is often described by giving its major Figure 3. An ellipse
axis and minor axis. In descriptions of orbits in the solar system, however, it
is more common to use the semi-major axis to describe the size of the
orbit, and the eccentricity of the ellipse to describe its shape. The
eccentricity is given by the ratio of the distance between the two focus
points to the length of the major axis of the ellipse.

2. A planet covers the same area of space

in the same amount of time no matter
where it is in its orbit.
 Figure 4 illustrates Kepler's Second Law.
Consider the line between the Sun and
point A on the elliptical orbit. After a
certain amount of time, the planet will Fig. 4 Adapted from Kepler's
have moved along the orbit to point B, Laws and Newton's Laws
(mtholyoke.edu)
and the line between the Sun and the
planet will have swept over the cross hatched area in the figure.
Kepler's Second Law states that for any two positions of the planet
along the orbit that are separated by the same amount of time, the
area swept out in this manner will be the same. Thus, suppose that it
takes the planet the same amount of time to go between positions C
and D as it did for the planet to go between positions A and B. Kepler's
Second Law then tells us that the second cross hatched area
between C, D, and the Sun will be the same as the cross hatched area
between A, B, and the Sun.

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 3. A planet’s orbital period is proportional to
the size of its orbit (its semi-major axis)
 The squares of the orbital periods of the
planets are directly proportional to the
cubes of the semi major axes of their
orbits. Kepler’s Third law implies that the
period for a planet to orbit the sun
increases rapidly with the radius of its
Fig. 5 Adapted from Kepler's
orbit. This is why each planet has
Laws and Newton's Laws
certain number of days to completely (mtholyoke.edu)
revolve around the sun.

p2 = a 3 Equation 1

Law of Gravitation

What is the force that keeps the earth going around the sun? – Force!
Though Kepler hadn’t known about gravitation when he came up with his
three laws, they were instrumental in Isaac Newton deriving his theory of
universal gravitation, which explains the unknown force behind Kepler’s Third
law. Kepler and his theories were crucial in the better understanding of our
solar system.

Newton’s Ways of Describing Motion

These are the steps that Newton took to finally arrive at providing the
universal law of gravitation.

1. Newton used the method of specifying an objects position at different

times to describe motion of an object.
 One way to describe the motion of an
object it to specify its position at
different times. For a planetary orbit,
we can describe the orbit in the same
way, by providing the position of the
planet along the orbit for all times.
Figure 6 shows the location of planet
earth at different times (by month).

Fig. 6 Adapted from

https://jimmyprophet.files.wordpr
ess.com/

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 2. He used the velocity of an object.
 Velocity is defined to be the change of position with change in
time. Thus, for a planet moving along an orbit, we can find the
velocity by dividing the distance travelled by the time it takes to
travel that distance. Velocity always is specified by both a value
and a direction.
3. He used the acceleration of the object.
 Just as the velocity describes the rate of
change in the position of the object, the
acceleration describes the rate of change of
the velocity. Acceleration is not necessarily in
the same direction as the velocity.
Understanding the solar system is the case of
uniform circular motion. The speed is constant
in this motion, but the direction is changing
continuously. The acceleration in this special
case of circular motion is called Fig. 7 Adapted from
the centripetal acceleration. It is always in the Kepler's Laws and
Newton's Laws
direction of the center of the circle. We can (mtholyoke.edu)
solve the centripetal acceleration by the
formula,

A = v2 / R

CIRCULAR MOTION

During circular motion, the centripetal force has a constant

magnitude.

In symbol:

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 The Universal Law of Gravitation is usually stated as an equation:

Fg = G M1 M2 / r2

Where Fg is the attractive gravitational

force between two objects of
mass M1 and M2 separated by a distance r. The
constant G in the equation is called the Universal
Constant of Gravitation.

The value of G is:

G = 6.67 X 10-11 Nm2 / kg2

Newton's great step was developing this law and using it, with his laws
of motion, to explain the motion of lots of different things --- from falling
objects to planets. Amazingly, out of these simple and general rules, Newton
was able to show that all of Kepler's descriptive laws for orbits followed as a
direct consequence.

When you combine Newton's gravitation and circular acceleration,

which must balance in order for the object to remain in orbit, you get a nice
relation between the period, distance, and mass of the central body. It
beings by equating the centripetal force (Fcent) due to the circular motion to
the gravitational force (Fgrav):

Fgrav = Fcent

Fgrav = G m1 m2 / r2
Fcent = m2 V2 /r

Let the Earth be m1 and the Moon be m2. For circular motion the
distance r is the semi-major axis a. The orbital velocity of the Moon can be
described as distance/time, or circumference of the circular orbit divided by
the orbital period:

V = 2 π r /P

so setting the forces equal yields

G m1 m2 / a2 = m2 V2 /a

Note that the m2 will cancel, so that circular orbital motion is

independent of the mass of the orbiting body!

G m1 / a2 = ((2 π a)2/P2)/a

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which we rearrange to place all the a-terms on the right and all the P-terms
on the left:

G m1/(4 π 2) P2 = a3

which should look startlingly like Kepler's third law, but this time for the Earth's
mass (or any other) instead of the sun's mass. To use a and P to solve for mass,
manipulate once more so that

m1 = a3 (4 π 2/G) / P2.

Sample Problems:

1. Determine the gravitational force between a 60-kg and a 70-kg person

who are both standing 2.0 m apart.

Given: m1 = 60 kg; m2 = 70 kg; r = 2.0 m

Find: Fg

Solution: 𝐹𝑔 = G m 1m 2 /𝑑2

2. A saleslady, whose mass is 52 kg, is

doing a product demonstration in front
of costumers. She exerts a gravitational
force of 7.45 x 10-8 N on a 57-kg
woman who is standing in the front
row. How far is the woman from the
saleslady?
Given:

Fg = 7.45 x 10-8 N

m1 = 60 kg

m2 = 70 kg

Find: d

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 3. Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, has a mean orbital radius of 1.22 x 109
m. The orbital period of Titan is 15.95 days. Hyperion, another moon of
Saturn, orbits at a mean radius of 1.48 x 109 m. Use Kepler’s Third Law of
Planetary Motion to predict the orbital period to predict the orbital
period of Hyperion in days.
Given: Solution:

rT = 1.22 x 109 m
TT = 15.95 days
rH = 1.48 x 109 m
TH = ?

4. A 900-kg car moving at 10 m/s takes a turn around a circle with a

radius of 25.0 m. Determine the acceleration and the net force acting
upon the car.

The solution of this problem begins with the identification of the known
and requested information.

Given:
m = 900 kg
v = 10.0 m/s
R = 25.0 m

Find:
a=?
Fnet = ?

To determine the acceleration of the car, use the equation a = v 2 / R.

The solution is as follows:

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 To determine the net force acting upon the car, use the equation Fnet =
m•a. The solution is as follows.

Performance Task:

Directions: Perform this experiment with a buddy/friend, maximum of

three members, yourself include. Video each trial you take and pass it to your
physics teacher. Copy the format of the experiment (from the title down to
the conclusion) on a separate bond paper.

Title: Centripetal Acceleration Experiment

Objective: To measure the centripetal acceleration of the rubber stopper

with the given set of masses (weight) per trial.

Theory:

If an object of mass m is rotating with constant speed v about a circle

of radius r, then the centripetal acceleration on the object has the
magnitude:

a = v2 /r (eq. 1).

Although equation (1) is useful, it is more convenient for today’s lab to

express the same result in terms of the time T needed for one complete
revolution. The speed of the rotating body is calculated by dividing the
circumference of the orbit by the period T.

v = C/T = 2π r/T

Substitute for v in equation (1) and simplify to get the following

equation for centripetal acceleration:

a = 4π2 r/T2 (eq. 2).

If the steel washers are at rest, then from the preceding free body
diagram we see that the upward force of tension in the string FT equals the
downward weight of the steel washers.

FT = mw g (eq. 2).

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 From Newton’s second law and the free body diagram of the revolving
rubber stopper, the horizontal component of the string’s tension on the
revolving rubber stopper must be

ms a = FT cos θ (eq. 4)

Substitute equation (2) for centripetal acceleration into equation (4).

ms(4π2 r/T2 )= FT cos θ ( eq. 5)

If L is the length along the string from the top of the glass tube to the
center of the rubber stopper (see Figure A), then r is the perpendicular
distance from the center of the rubber stopper to the glass tube and r = L cos
θ. Substitute this expression for r into eq (5) and then divide out the cosine
factor.

ms 4π2 L cosθ/T2 = FT cos θ ms 4π2 L/T2 = FT (eq. 6)

If the string does not stretch and if the string’s weight is negligibly small,
then FT, the string’s tension on the rubber stopper, has the same magnitude as
the string’s tension on the steel washers in eqn. (3). Substitute eqn. (3) into
eqn. (6) and we obtain

ms 4π2 L/T2 = mw g (eq. 7)

All of the quantities in eqn. (7) can be measured easily, and so it

provides us with a test of the centripetal acceleration.

r
L

Figure A (diagram)
(The hanger is a paper clip)

Figure B (apparatus)

Apparatus and Free Body Diagrams

The apparatus for this lab consists of a rubber stopper of mass ms, a
piece of nylon string which is threaded through a long glass tube, and some
steel washers with a total mass mw. The steel washers are attached to a

21
paper clip on one end of the string, and the rubber stopper is fastened to the
other end of the string. A person should hold the glass rod and swing the
rubber stopper at a uniform rate in a horizontal circle as shown in Figure A.
One should not touch the nylon string, but ideally the rubber stopper should
be swung at a sufficient rate so that the steel washers do not move up or
down. In other words, the weight of the steel washers at the bottom of the
string should balance precisely the upward tension in the string so that the
string in the glass tube does not move vertically.

Materials:

1. Rubber Stopper/rubber cork

2. A piece of Lambo/string which is threaded through a long glass
tube/empty ball pen tube/milktea straw (whichever available at your
home).
3. Some steel washers/weights of different masses
4. Two paper clips

Procedure:

1. Construction of the apparatus. (Write the steps on how you constructed

the centripetal acceleration apparatus. Be careful on measuring the L of
the string. Make a mark to know where the L point is. )
2. It is helpful to work in groups of two or three. If there are three in a
group, then one person must swing the rubber stopper, another should
count the number of revolutions of the rubber stopper, and the third
can measure the time with a stopwatch.
3. Use a scale to measure the mass of the rubber stopper ms and the mass
of the steel washers and paper clip mw. Convert these data from grams
to kilograms, if necessary, and record the data in the space above
Table 1. For the weight Ww = mw g in Table 1, use g = 9.80 m/s2. It is also
better if you use other weights available in your house with known mass
(for example ¼ kg of sugar). On the clip at the bottom of the string,
place your weights (a certain mass for trial one). Practice rotating the
rubber stopper by holding onto the glass tube in a uniform circular
motion so that the stopper does not move radially either in or out.

Hints for Success:

a. It is often easiest if the radius of revolution r is about 20 centimeters.
b. Do not move the hand too much while swinging the stopper. Ideally
the steel washers should be stationary.
c. Make an ink mark on the nylon string at the bottom of the glass
tube. Practice and make certain that the ink mark remains at the
same position as the rubber stopper is rotated.
d. Wear goggles so that the stopper does not hit anyone in the eye.

22
 4. After having practiced rotating the stopper in a horizontal plane, carry
out three trials (final). For each trial, the masses of the washers must not
be the same. The length L in Table 1 should be measured along the
string from the top of the glass tube to the center of the rubber stopper.
Record all the data on table 1.
5. It is often most accurate to measure t the total time for a predetermined
number of revolutions, perhaps 20 revolutions. The period T for one
complete revolution is then obtained by dividing t by the number of
revolutions n, i.e. T = t/n. For example, if there are 20 revolutions of the
stopper in 10 seconds, then T equals 10 seconds/20 = 0.5 seconds.
6. Calculate the value of FT using eq.(6), which is based on the centripetal
acceleration equation.

Table 1

ms = Mass of rubber stopper ______________ kilograms.

mw = Mass of the paper clip ______________ kilograms.

Trial Weight Length L Total No. of 1 Time of FT based on

of (meters) time t rev. 1 rev. centripetal
Washers (sec) T= t/n acceleration
Ww =mwg (sec) (Eq.6) (N)
(N)
1
2
3

Average value of FT = __________________ N.

Results:

1. Is the equation for centripetal acceleration justified? Is the average value

of FT equal to the weight of steel washers Ww in agreement with eqn. (7)?
What is the percentage error?
2. If time permits, then repeat the experiment for a different mass of hanging
steel washers and record the data in Table 2.
3. What were the major sources of error in this experiment?

23
III. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

POST-TEST:

I. MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write it in your
notebook/Answer Sheet. Show your solutions for items involving problem
solving.

1. The planet Saturn has about 100 times the mass of the Earth and is
about 10 times farther from the sun than the Earth is. Compared to the
acceleration of the Earth caused by the sun’s gravitational pull, how
great is the acceleration of Saturn due to the sun’s gravitation?
a. 100 times greater c. the same
b. 10 times greater d. 1 /10 as great
2. Rank the following hypothetical planets in order from highest to lowest
value of 𝑔 at the surface:
a. mass = 2 times the mass of the Earth, radius = 2 times the radius of
the Earth;
b. mass = 4 times the mass of the Earth, radius = 4 times the radius of
the Earth;
c. mass = 4 times the mass of the Earth, radius = 2 times the radius of
the Earth;
d. mass = 2 times the mass of the Earth, radius = 4 times the radius of
the Earth
3. What do you think will happen to you if you were to seat next to a
neutron ball on, both on a flat surface, of which weight is half that of the
sun?
a. Nothing will happen
b. You will be drawn to the ball as if you are sliding downhill a
mountain.
c. You will levitate.
d. You and the ball will repel and you will be thrown out.
4. During the origin of our solar system the planets began to orbit the Sun
it was the least dense object.
a. true b. false c. none of the above d. both a and b

5. A planet moves fastest in its orbit

a. when it is in opposition.
b. when it is closest to the Sun.
c. the greater its mass.
d. when it is farthest from the Sun.

24
 6. According to Kepler's first law, the planets each move in an elliptical
orbit with the sun.
a. at the geometrical center.
b. at one focus.
c. at both foci.
d. on the opposite side of the same ellipse.
7. Newton's law of gravitation states that the attractive force between
any two masses in space is in proportion to the product of the (1)______
and in inverse proportion to the (2) _________________.
a. (1) masses; (2) distance between them
b. (1) distances between them; (2) masses
c. (1) inverse masses; (2) distance between them
d. (1) reciprocal distances between them; (2) masses
8. Newton discovered that gravity can be described as:
a. A spring-like connection between any two masses.
b. A universal attraction between masses which gets stronger with
distance.
c. A force which is independent of the masses of the objects
involved.
d. An attraction between like electrical charges.

II. PROBLEM SOLVING:

Directions: Solve the given problem below. Show your solutions. Write
your answers in your notebook/Answer Sheet.

1. The Moon is 3.9 × 105 km from Earth’s center and 1.5 × 108 km from the
Sun’s center. The masses of Earth and the Sun are 6.0 × 1024 kg and 2.0
× 1030 kg, respectively. Find the ratio of the gravitational fields due to
Earth and the Sun at the center of the Moon.
2. A projectile is fired straight upward from the Earth’s surface at the South
Pole with an initial speed equal to one third the escape speed.
Ignoring air resistance, determine how far from the center of the Earth
the projectile travels before stopping momentarily.

25
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Understanding Physics. New York: Wiley, 2004. PDF.

Hewitt, Paul G. Conceptual Physics. Glenview IL: Pearson Education, Inc.,

2015. PDF

Katz, Debora M. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations and

Connections with Modern Physics. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning,
2017. PDF.

Serway, Raymond A., and John W. Jewett Jr. Physics for Scientists and
Engineers with Modern Physics, 7th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher
Education, 2008. PDF.

Young, Hugh, Roger Freedman, and A. Lewis Ford. Sears and Zemansky’s
University Physics: With Modern Physics, 13th ed. San Francisco, CA:
Pearson Education, Inc., 2012. PDF.

Weaker, Jearl. Fundamentals of Physics, 10th ed. MA: John Wiley & Sons, 2014.
PDF

Zitzewitz, Paul W., Todd George Elliott, David G. Haase, Kathleen A. Harper,
Michael R. Herzog, Jane Bray Nelson, Jim Nelson, Charles A. Schuler,
and Margaret K. Zorn. Physics Principles and Problems: A Glencoe
Program. Columbus, OH: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2005. PDF

Web:
centripetal[1].pdf
https://www.google.com/search?q=gravitationalpotentialenergyexam
ples

Kepler's Laws and Newton's Laws (mtholyoke.edu)

https://jimmyprophet.files.wordpress.com/

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 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Division of Negros Oriental

SENEN PRISCILLO P. PAULIN, CESO V

Schools Division Superintendent

FAY C. LUAREZ, TM, Ed.D., Ph.D.

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Acting CID Chief

NILITA L. RAGAY, Ed.D.

Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

ROSELA R. ABIERA
Education Program Supervisor – (LRMS)

ARNOLD R. JUNGCO
PSDS – Division Science Coordinator

MARICEL S. RASID
Librarian II (LRMDS)

ELMAR L. CABRERA
PDO II (LRMDS)

ANALUZ P. FREJOLES
GIL S. DAEL
SANDY LIZA B. RODRIGUEZ
Writers/Illustrators/Lay-out Artists

_________________________________

QUALITY ASSURANCE TEAM

ARNOLD D. ACADEMIA
ZENAIDA A. ACADEMIA
LIEZEL A. AGOR
MARY JOYCEN A. ALAM-ALAM
EUFRATES G. ANSOK JR.
JOAN Y. BUBULI
LIELIN A. DE LA ZERNA
ADELINE FE D. DIMAANO
RANJEL D. ESTIMAR
VICENTE B. MONGCOPA
FLORENTINA P. PASAJINGUE
THOMAS JOGIE U. TOLEDO

DISCLAIMER

The information, activities and assessments used in this material are designed to provide
accessible learning modality to the teachers and learners of the Division of Negros Oriental. The
contents of this module are carefully researched, chosen, and evaluated to comply with the set
learning competencies. The writers and evaluator were clearly instructed to give credits to
information and illustrations used to substantiate this material. All content is subject to copyright
and may not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent from the division.

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SYNOPSIS AND ABOUT THE AUTHORS ANSWER KEY

In this module, get excited as you go

through the activities and discussions
involving Newton’s laws of gravitation from
which the reason as to why the moon
doesn’t fall into the earth is derived. Get II. PROBLEM SOLVING:
amazed as you get to know the importance
of gravitational field which is the one
8. a
7. a
responsible for making the planets and 6.b
moons interact though they are not in 5. b

contact. Learning the gravitational potential

4. b
3. b
energy is just as awesome as riding a rocket 2. c, a, d, b
ship for you will know why their speed upon
1. d
I. MULTIPLE CHOICE:
leaving earth must be fast enough to Post-test:
escape from the gravitational attraction of
the earth. Centripetal motion and circular
weights bigger than player 2)
potential energy since he
orbits will also be discussed to let you know but Player 1 has greater
that satellites around the earth are obliged Act B. –(Descriptions may vary
Act. A- (Answer may vary)
to also move just like it to stay in track – this is Pre-test:
how the NASA satellites work.

ANALUZ P. FREJOLES graduated Bachelor of Science in Physics at

Maxino College, Bagacay, Dumaguete City last 2019. She is a DOST scholar
who passed the examination in 2017 under the Junior Level Science
Scholarships. She was then a researcher on climate from which she
conducted various experiments and an almost 4 -year observation on the
patterns of rain and temperature in selected areas of which data gathered
were compared to PAGASA station.

GIL S. DAEL earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree

and Master of Science in Mathematics graduate program at Negros Oriental
State University. He is presently finishing his Doctor of Philosophy in
Mathematics from the same university. At present, he is currently teaching
Mathematics and Research subjects at Crisostomo O. Retes National High
School.

SANDY LIZA B. RODRIGUEZ graduated at Negros Oriental State

University – Guihulngan Campus with a degree of Bachelor of Secondary
Education major in General Science. She is a registered Professional
Teacher and is currently teaching at La Libertad Technical - Vocational
School Senior High School Department in North Poblacion, La Libertad, Negros
Oriental, Philippines.

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