PHYSICS 71 – ELEMENTARY PHYSICS I

CHAPTER 13 GRAVITATION

Kepler’s Laws of
LECTURE

38 Planetary Motion

University of the Philippines Diliman

College of Science
National Institute of Physics
Circular Orbits
► Total mechanical energy of a satellite in a circular
orbit

since

Lecture 38.5 - Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 2

 Johannes Kepler
► Used the empirical
data obtained by
Tycho Brahe
► Studied the motion of
planets around the sun
► His THREE laws can be
derived using
Newton’s law of
gravitation
► First to coin the word
satellite

Lecture 38.5 - Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 3

Kepler’s First Law: Elliptical Orbits
1. All planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus.

Perihelion - point closest

to the Sun

Aphelion - point farthest

from the Sun

Lecture 38.5 - Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 4

Kepler’s Second Law: Equal Areas
2. A line from the sun to a given planet sweeps out equal areas
in equal times.

Lecture 38.5 - Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 5

 Kepler’s Second Law: Equal Areas
2. A line from the sun to a given planet sweeps out equal areas
in equal times.

Planet tends Planet tends to

to move faster move slower at
at perihelion! aphelion!
CONSERVATION OF ANGULAR MOMENTUM!!!
Lecture 38.5 - Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 6
Kepler’s Third Law: Period of Planets

Lecture 38.5 - Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 7

Kepler’s Third Law: Period of Planets
EXAMPLE

Lecture 38.5 - Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 8

 QUIZ
►

Lecture 38.5 - Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 9

 SOLUTION
►

Lecture 38.5 - Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 10

Credits/References
▪ Figures and content: University Physics 13th Ed, H.
Young and R. Freedman, Pearson Education 2014
▪ Physics 71 Lectures by J Vance, M Flores, A Lacaba, PJ
Blancas, G Pedemonte, DL Sombillo, K Agapito

▪ Annotations by: Rene L. Principe Jr.

▪ Edited by: Rene L. Principe Jr.

Lecture 38.5 - Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion 11