Cavendish Lab

Name_________________________________ Period________ Date_______

Background: Isaac Newton gets credit for working out the Universal Law of
Gravity sometime around 1666. However, since the mass of the Earth was
unknown in his time he was unable to write the complete Law of Gravity. He could
not determine the proportionality constant G, also known as the Universal
Gravitational Constant. To determine G the force of gravity between 2 objects of
known mass must be measured. Since this force is extremely small, this is a very
difficult experiment to do accurately. Henry Cavendish was the first to do so in
1798. Cavendish was trying to determine the average density of the entire Earth.
He was dubbed “The man who weighed the Earth” after his experimental results
were published. Other physicists then used his data to determine G and thus
completed Newton’s work.

Purpose: You will obtain data about the force of gravity (Fg) between 2 objects of
known mass just like Cavendish did. However, you will use a computer simulation
instead of the complex and finicky torsion balance that Cavendish used. Using
your data, your brain, and the analysis tool Graphical Analysis, you will determine
the Law of Gravity including G and use it to determine the mass of the Earth.

Q1: We will be measuring Fg between 2 objects, m1 and m2 as shown below. If

m1 has more mass than m2, how will Fg of m1 on m2 compare to Fg of m2 on m1?

Procedure: Find the Cavendish experiment simulation by searching “phet gravity

force” or typing in the URL: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/gravity-force-
lab Click on “Run Now”

Q2: The program initially shows Fg between a 38 kg m1 and a 25 kg m2. Does it

verify your prediction from Q1? Change m1 to 25 kg and m2 to 38 kg. Make sure
you always press Return or click on the white part of the screen after changing

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the masses. From the results describe in general the relationship between Fg of
m1 on m2 and Fg of m2 on m1.

One of Newton’s insights was that it is important to know the distance between
the CENTERS of m1 and m2 to predict the gravitational force between them, not
the distance between their surfaces. All distances referred to in this lab are
measured between the CENTERS of m1 and m2 and are referred to as variable
“r”. Set each mass to 10 kg. Click on the masses and drag them so that r = 3 m.
You can click on the ruler and drag it onto m1 and m2 to get more accurate
distances between CENTERS. Record Fg of m1 on m2 in the data table below in
scientific notation.
Q3: Predict what will happen to Fg if you change m1 to 20 kg.

Q4: Change m1 to 20 kg and verify your prediction. Write the new Fg in the data
table below. What was the affect of doubling m1 on Fg? Divide this Fg by your
value for when both masses were 10 kg and write it in the data table as Fg/Fg 10—10.

Q5: Predict what Fg will be if m1 is 30 kg. Change m1 to 30 and verify your

prediction. Write the new Fg in the data table below. What was the affect of
tripling m1 from its original 10 kg? Calculate Fg/Fg 10—10 and write in the data table.

Q6: How does Fg depend on m1 and m2? Describe your hypothesis below. Use it
to predict Fg for the remaining 3 rows in the data table. Use the simulation to
verify your hypothesis. Determine Fg/Fg 10—10 and complete the data table. Make
any needed corrections.

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 m1 m2 Fg Fg/Fg 10--10
(kg) (kg) (N)
10 10
20 10
30 10
20 20
20 30
30 30

Q7: Now that we have figured out how the mass of m1 and m2 affects Fg , we
need to determine the affect of distance on Fg. Keeping both masses at 30 kg,
predict whether the magnitude of Fg will go up, down, or remain the same if you
increase r from 3 m to r = 4 m.

Q8: Click on m2 and move it so it is 4 m from m1. Verify your prediction above.
Record Fg for r = 3 m and r = 4 m in the date table below. Describe in general
how r affects the magnitude of Fg.

Q9: Predict the value of Fg if the CENTERS are separated by 6 m below. Keep m1
and m2 at 30 kg. Use the program to verify your prediction and record it in the
data table below.

Q10. Predict the value of Fg if the CENTERS are separated by 9 m below. Keep m1
and 2 at 30 kg. Use the program to verify your prediction and record it in the data
table below. (Hint: how many times smaller was Fg when you doubled the
distance?)

r (m) Fg (N)
Use the program to find Fg for the
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remaining rows in the data table.
Keep m1 and m2 at 30 kg. As you 4
may have discovered, the 5
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3 7
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relationship between r and Fg is not as simple as that between mass and Fg. We
will construct a graph of our data and determine what function best describes the
graph. Open the Graphical Analysis program to make your graph.

Q11: In most experiments, the variable that we changed is graphed on the x axis
and the responding variable is graphed on the y axis. Which axis should you
graph r on?

Enter your r and Fg data into the Graphical Analysis data table. Exponents are
entered with an e and the exponent following the number. For example, 4.2 x 10-8
is entered as 4.2e-8. The graph will appear in the graph window. Make sure you
label your data tables and include the units. You can give your graph a title in the
“Options” menu by selecting “Graph Options”.

Q12: What is the shape of your graph? What does this tell you about the
relationship between r and Fg ?

Graphical Analysis can help determine what function best describes the exact
relationship between r and Fg . You also will have to use your good judgment. A
good fit will go smoothly through your data points but it also should be the
simplest possible function. For example, if one fit raises a variable to a power of 2
and another uses 1.98, the first one is the simpler relationship. Go to the
“Analyze” menu and select “Curve Fit”. Leave it on “Automatic Fit” and try the
various options. You can see the result in the Curve Fit window by clicking on “Try
Fit”. When you think you have found a good fit, check it with your teacher.

Q13: Exit the Curve Fit window by clicking OK. The equation for your fit is now
displayed on your graph. Write it below but replace y with Fg , x with r, and the
numerical value of your constant.

Q14: You already determined that Fg is proportional to m1 x m2. Then you

determined that Fg is proportional to 1/r2. Combining these 2 results shows that Fg
is proportional to (m1 x m2)/r2 . Using this and your equation above, determine
what G is knowing that Fg = G(m1 x m2)/r2. Write your result including units
below. Check it by looking up the accepted value of G online.

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Q15: Use your value of G from Q15 to predict Fg for r = 10 m and m1 and m2 still
30 kg. Show your work below and verify your prediction with the simulation.

Q16. Knowing that Fg of Earth on a 100 kg mass is 981 N, determine the mass of
the Earth. Use your value of G from Q14. Remember r is the distance between the
CENTERS of the Earth and the 100 kg object on the earth’s surface. This distance
is 6.37 x 106 m. Look up the mass of the Earth online and verify your calculation.
Determine your percent error and show ALL of your work below.

Q17: You have now successfully determined the Law of Gravity to be Fg = G(m1 x
m2)/r2 using a computer simulation and Graphical Analysis. Describe how you
could graph your Fg and r data so that it would result in a straight line. What
would the slope of this line be?

Conclusion: Look up “Cavendish Experiment” online and then

describe how he measured Fg between 2 masses below.