Does the Earth move when you jump?

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
 VCE PHYSICS

U3 AOS2: HOW DO THINGS MOVE WITHOUT CONTACT?

CHAPTER 3: GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS

Gravitational fields and

Click to edit lesson
forces (Part 2)
Presented by Anthony Pedrana

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
What's in this lesson?
Study design dot points

• describe the interaction of two fields, Interactions between two gravitational fields 1
allowing that electric charges, magnetic
Calculating gravitational field strength2
poles and current carrying conductors can
either attract or repel, whereas [masses Calculating gravitational force3
only attract each other 1]
• analyse the use of gravitational fields to
accelerate mass, including:
– [gravitational field2] and [gravitational
force3] concepts: and
– potential energy changes in a uniform
gravitational field:

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Interactions between two gravitational fields
Key takeaway Misconceptions
Earth’s gravitational
• Two object’s gravitational fields can only attract each other. force acting on the
• The force of attraction between the two objects is equal and opposite despite any Moon is equal and
opposite to the Moon’s
difference in mass.
gravitational force
acting on the Earth.
The reason Earth
doesn’t orbit the Moon
is that Earth has a
much larger mass
than the Moon, and
therefore, the Moon’s
acceleration
is greater.

Patricia F. Carvalho/ [Link]

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Multiple choice activity

A flyer (a female kangaroo) jumps into the air. A. smaller than the Earth’s gravitational
force acting on her.
While in the air, the kangaroo’s gravitational
force acting on the Earth is… B. larger than the Earth’s gravitational
force acting on her.

C. equal and opposite to the Earth’s

gravitational force acting on her.

D. causing the Earth to move towards

her while she remains stationary in
the air.

E. I don’t know.

Written by Anthony Pedrana

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Multiple choice – response

A flyer (a female kangaroo) jumps into the air. A. smaller than the Earth’s gravitational
force acting on her.
While in the air, the kangaroo’s gravitational
force acting on the Earth is… B. larger than the Earth’s gravitational
force acting on her.

C. equal and opposite to the Earth’s

gravitational force acting on her.

D. causing the Earth to move towards

her while she remains stationary in
the air.

E. I don’t know.

Written by Anthony Pedrana

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Calculating gravitational field strength
Key takeaway
Gravitational field strength depends only
on the central body’s mass and the
distance from the centre of the central
body.

Gravitational field strength

(formula)

where:
• g is the gravitational field strength (N kg-1)
• M is the mass (kg)
• G is the universal gravitational
constant (6.67 × 10 −11 N m2 kg−2)
• r is the distance from the centre of the object (m)

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Worked example (2 marks)

Calculate the gravitational field strength on the surface of Earth, given Mearth = 5.98 × 1024
kg, rEarth = 6.37 × 106 m, and G = 6.67 × 10 − 11 N m2 kg−2

Marking guide
Key criteria Mark allocation

Substitutes the correct values into the gravitational field strength equation 1 mark

Solves for the gravitational field strength on the surface of Earth 1 mark

Written by Anthony Pedrana

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Multiple choice activity

The spacecraft Juno is orbiting Jupiter with A. 2.21 × 103 N kg–1

a radius of 7.56 × 106 m.
B. 1.68 × 1010 N kg–1
Use the data provided to calculate the
gravitational field strength of Jupiter at the C. 2.51 × 1020 N kg–1
distance Juno orbits. D. 9.58 × 1023 N kg–1

E. I don’t know.
MJupiter 1.90 × 1027 kg
rJuno’s orbit 7.56 × 106 m
6.67 × 10−11 N m2
G
kg−2

Written by Anthony Pedrana

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Multiple choice – response

The spacecraft Juno is orbiting Jupiter with A. 2.21 × 103 N kg–1

a radius of 7.56 × 106 m.
B. 1.68 × 1010 N kg–1
Use the data provided to calculate the
gravitational field strength of Jupiter at the C. 2.51 × 1020 N kg–1
distance Juno orbits. D. 9.58 × 1023 N kg–1

E. I don’t know.
MJupiter 1.90 × 1027 kg
rJuno’s orbit 7.56 × 106 m
6.67 × 10−11 N m2
G
kg−2

Written by Anthony Pedrana

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Calculating gravitational force
Key takeaway
The gravitational force between two bodies
depends on the masses of both bodies and
the distance between them. The forces are
equal and opposite.

Gravitational force between two objects

(formula)

where:
• g is the gravitational field strength (N kg-1)

• m1 is the mass of object 1 (kg)

• m2 is the mass of object 1 (kg)

• G is the universal gravitational
constant (6.67 × 10 −11 N m2 kg−2) Teacher’s tip!
Don’t forget to square the radius when
• r is the distance between centres of objects (m)
doing calculations!

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Worked example (2 marks)

Using the data provided, calculate the Mearth 5.98 × 1024 kg

magnitude of the Earth’s gravitational force
rEarth 6.37 × 106 m
acting on the International Space Station
(ISS) orbiting 400 km above the Earth’s 6.67 × 10−11 N m2
G
surface. kg−2
MISS 419 725 kg

Marking guide
Key criteria Mark allocation

Substitutes the correct values into the gravitational force between two objects equation 1 mark

Solves for Earth’s gravitational force acting on the ISS 1 mark

Written by Anthony Pedrana

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Multiple choice activity

My two kids, Leo and Estelle, have been Mearth 5.98 × 1024 kg
placed in a rocket and launched into outer
Mrocket 1500 kg
orbit.
rorbit 8.25 106 m
Using the data provided, which of the
following gives the magnitude of the Earth’s 6.67 × 10−11 N m2
G
gravitational force acting on the rocket? kg−2

A. 8.79 103 N

B. 1.472 104 N

C. 7.25 1010 N

D. 4.94 1024 N

E. I don’t know.

Written by Anthony Pedrana

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Multiple choice – response

My two kids, Leo and Estelle, have been Mearth 5.98 × 1024 kg
placed in a rocket and launched into outer
Mrocket 1500 kg
orbit.
rorbit 8.25 106 m
Using the data provided, which of the
following gives the magnitude of the Earth’s 6.67 × 10−11 N m2
G
gravitational force acting on the rocket? kg−2

A. 8.79 103 N

B. 1.472 104 N

C. 7.25 1010 N

D. 4.94 1024 N

E. I don’t know.

Written by Anthony Pedrana

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
 Does the Earth move when you jump?

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Summary

Calculating gravitational field strength What’s coming next

3B Gravitational potential
Gravitational field strength energy in uniform and
(formula) non-uniform fields

Key terms
Gravitational force
This is an inversed squared relationship, so
Gravitational field
doubling the distance away from a planet
strength
reduces gravity to ¼ of the original strength.

Calculating gravitational force

Gravitational force between two objects

(formula)

This force is equal and opposite; both objects

pull each other with the same amount of
force. Patricia F. Carvalho/ [Link]

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
Acknowledgments & attributions
Further material link:
• Page 4: Baby Dancing to Beyonce – YouTube video
Image attribution:
• Pages 1, 15: Image by Anestiev / [Link] license
• Pages 5-6: Image by pen_ash / [Link] license
• Pages 13-14: Source: Anthony Pedrana

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© Anthony Pedrana & Edrolo 2023
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