Gravitation

 Newton’s law of gravitation : Newton in 1665 formulated that the force of attraction between two masses m1
and m2 as
m1 m2
Gm1m2
F
r2 r
–11 –2
where G = 6.67 × 10 . Nm and is called universal gravitational constant.
 Gravitational field Intensity : Gravitational force per unit mass placed at a point is called gravitational field
intensity at that point. Gravitational field intensity of earth is ‘g’
r
r F
I where test mass m is very very small.
m
 Gravitational potential (Vg) : Gravitational potential at a point is the amount of work done to bring a unit mass
GM
from infinity to that point under the influence of gravitational field of a given mass M, Vg  
r
 Gravitational potential and field due to system of discrete mass distribution.
N

V = V1+V2+V3+...... i.e. V   Vi
i 1

r r r r r N r
I  I1  I2  I3  ... i.e. I   Ii
i 1

 Gravitational potential and field due to system of continuous mass distribution.

V   dV where dV is potential due to elementary mass dM.

r r r
I   dI where dI is field intensity due to elementary mass dM.

 Gravitational potential energy of two mass system is the amount of work done to bring a mass m from infinity
GMm
to the point P under the influence of gravitational field of a given mass M. Ug  
r
where, Ug is G.P.E. of two mass system. Note that U g  mVg
M
m
r P
 In general, gravitational potential energy of a system is work done against gravitational force in assembling
the system from its reference configuration. Infinite mutual separation is reference configuration for
mass-system.
 Gravitational field intensity due to a ring of radius R, mass M at any point on the axial line at a distance x from the
centre of the ring is

R
GM.x P
Eg  x
(R  x 2 )3/ 2
2

The field is directed towards the centre. At the centre of the ring Eg is minimum (= 0) and Eg is maximum at
R
x
2

[1]
[2] Gravitation

dV V V V r
 Relation between Field and potential : I  dr  I  x ˆi  y ˆj  z kˆ
uur r
dV   I.dr
 Work done against gravitational force in changing the configuration of a system
= P.E. in final configuration – P.E. in initial configuration.
i.e. Work done  U 2  U1  WAgainst gravitational force   Wby gravitational force
 Variation of g with height

g R
g  2 if h 
 h 10
1  
 R
 2h  R
g  g 1   if h 
 R  10

Note g never becomes zero with height, that is, g  0 if h  

 Variation of g with depth (d)

 d
g   g 1   ; where g is acceleration due to gravity at earth surface.
 R
 Variation of g with rotation of earth / latitude
 R2 
g   g 1  cos 2  
 g 
that is, g is maximum at the poles and minimum at the equator

2GM
 Escape velocity  e  ;
R
Escape velocity is the minimum velocity required to escape a mass from the surface of the earth/ planet from its
gravitational. If velocity provided is greater than or equal to escape velocity, the mass will never come back to
the earth/planet.

 Planetry motion
GM GMm mV 2
Oribit velocity  o  from the fact   Re quired Centripetalforce
r r2 r
where  o is speed with which a planet or a satellite moves in its orbit and r is the radius of the orbit.

2r 4 2 r 3 GM
Time period T T2 
 o or GM
; where v0 = orbital velocity =
r

1 GMm GMm
Kinetic Energy KE  m 2o  , Potential Energy PE  
2 2r r

Net energy
GMm
E  KE  PE  
2r
 Kepler’s Laws
First Law : The planets revolve around the sun in the elliptical orbits with sun at one of the focus.
Gravitation [3]

P
S

Second Law : The radial line sweeps out equal area in equal interval of time. This law may be derived from law
of conservation of angular momentum.

dA L
Areal velocity  =  = constant
dt 2m
S
Q Torque about axis of rotation is zero so angular P1

moment is constant i.e. I11  I 22

v1 r2
 (mr1 )  v1   (mr2 )(v 2 )  
v 2 r1
1 r2  perihelion raphelion
Thus   r or  
2 1 aphelion rperihelion that is, when the planet is closer to the sun it moves fast.
Third Law: The square of the time period of a planet is proportional to he cube of a semimajor axis

T 2  a 3 or T 2  r 3
raphelion r a  ae 1  e
If eccentricity of the orbit is e then r  max  
perihelion r min . a  ae 1  e
 Weightlessness in a satellite :
2
 GMm  V
Net force towards centre = FC  ma c   2  N   m where N is contact force by the surface
 r  r
GMm  GM 
 2
 N  m  2  or N = 0 that is, the surface of satellite does not exert any force on the body and
r  r 
hence its apparent weight is zero.
 Gravitational potenial due to a ring at any point on its axis, assuming mass of the ring is uniformly or
nonuniformly distributed is
GM GM
V ; potential at the centre is
2 2
R x R
V
 Graviational potential due do a shell
O R x
GM GM
Vin  Vsur  ; Vout 
R x
GM
 Gravitational potential due to a solid sphere of radius R R
GM
Vin 
2R 3
3R 2  x 2  for 0  x  R
V
R x
GM GM
Vsur   for x = R; Vout  for x > R
R x -GM
R
-3GM
2R
[4] Gravitation

 Gravitational field intensity due to a disc

R Ig
P
x

2GM  x  2GM
E 2 
1  1  cos 
R  2 2
x R  R2

 Gravitational field intensity due to a solid sphere

GMx E
Ein  for x < R
R3
GM GM
Esur  2 ,
E out  2 x  R
R x
x
O R

 Gravitational field intensity due to a hollow sphere

Ein = 0 ; x < R
E
GM
Esurface = 2 ; x = R
R
GM
Eout = ; x>R
x2
x
O R