CH - GRAVITATION NOTES
Introduction
→ Gravitational Force of Earth: If we release a small stone without
pushing it from a height, it accelerates towards earth.
→ The stone is when accelerated towards earth, means some force is
acting on it. The force which pulls the objects towards the centre of the
earth is known as gravitational force of the earth.
→ Here, stone also attracts earth. It means every object in universe attracts
every other object.
Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation
According to Universal law of Gravitation- This law states that Every
object in this universe attracts every other object with a force which is directly
proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the
square of the distance between them.
• Let masses (M) and (m) of two objects are distance (d) apart, then force of
attraction (F) between them
F ∝ M×m
F ∝ 1/d2
F ∝ Mm/d2
F = (GMm)/d2
where, G -universal Gravitational constant.
Value of G = 6.67×10-11 Nm2/kg2
→( If unit of F is in Newton, m is in kg, d is in metre), then unit of G can be
calculated as :
G = (F×d2)/Mm, therefore unit will be Nm2/kg2
Relation between Newton’s third law of motion and Newton’s law of
gravitation
→ According to Newton’s third law of motion, “Every object exerts equal
and opposite force on other object but in opposite direction.”
→ According to Newton’s law of gravitation, “Every mass in the universe
attracts the every other mass.”
→ In case of freely falling stone and earth, stone is attracted towards earth
means earth attracts the stone.
→ But according to Newton’s third law of motion, the stone should also
attract the earth.
It is true that stone also attracts the earth with the same force F = m × a but
due to very less mass of the stone, the acceleration (a) in its velocity is 9.8
m/s2 and acceleration (a) of earth towards stone is 1.65×10-24 m/s2 which is
negligible and we cannot feel it.
Importance of universal law of gravitation
(i) The force that binds us to the earth.
(ii) The motion of moon around the earth.
(iii) The motion of earth around the sun.
(iv) The tides due to moon and the sun.
Free fall → When an object falls freely under the influence of gravitational
force alone ,is called ‘free fall of an object’.
Acceleration due to gravity (g)
The uniform acceleration produced in a freely falling object due to the
gravitational force of earth, is called acceleration due to gravity.
—During this free fall direction do not change but velocity continuously
changes which is called acceleration due to gravity. It is denoted by ‘g’.
→ Its unit is same as acceleration m/s2.
→ It is represented by ‘g’ and it always acts towards the centre of the earth.
Relation between g and G
→ The force acting on an object is F = (GMem)/R2 .... (i)
where,
Me = Mass of earth
m = Mass of an object
R = Radius of earth
If acceleration due to gravity is ‘g’ due to force F then, F = m×g .... (ii)
G = Gravitational constant
g = Acceleration due to gravity
Difference between G (Gravitational constant) and g (Acceleration due to
gravity)
Gravitation Constant (G) Gravitational acceleration (g)
Its value is 6.67×10-11 Nm2/kg2. Its value is 9.8 m/s2.
Its value remains constant always
Its value varies at various places.
and everywhere.
Its unit is Nm2/kg2. Its unit is m/s2.
It is a scalar quantity. It is a vector quantity.
Equation of motion when an object is falling freely towards earth or
thrown vertically upwards
Case 1: When an object is falling towards earth with initial velocity (u)
Velocity (v) after t seconds,
1.v = u + gt
Height covered in t seconds,
2.h = ut + ½gt2
Relation between v and u when t is not given:
3 v2 = u2 + 2gh
Case 2: When object is falling from rest position means initial velocity
u=0
Velocity (v) after t seconds, v = gt
Height covered in t seconds, h = ½gt2
Relation between v and u when t is not given: v2 = 2gh
Case 3: When an object is thrown vertically upwards with initial
velocity u, the gravitational acceleration will be negative (-g)
Velocity (v) after t seconds,
v = u − gt
Height covered in t seconds,
h = ut − ½gt2
Relation between v and u when t is given:
v2 = u2 − 2gh
Weight→ The force with which an object is attracted towards the centre of
the earth, is called the weight of the object.
Force = m × a
In case of earth, a = g
Weight ∴ F = m× g
∴W=m×g
Relation between 1 kg wt and express it into Newton
We know that W = m × g
If mass (m) = 1 kg, g = 9.8 m/s2, then
W = 1 kg × 9.8 m/s2
⇒ 1 kg wt = 9.8 N
→ The gravitational force of earth that acts on an object of mass 1 kg is
called as 1 kg wt.
Distinguish between Mass and Weight
Mass Weight
Mass of an object can be measured Weight = mass × acceleration
by its inertia. (m×g).
The total quantity of matter The gravitational force by which
contained in an object is called earth attracts an object is called
mass of an object. weight of the object.
Mass of the object remains constant Weight of the object is different at
at all the places different places.
SI unit of mass is kg Si unit of weight is N
Measurement of mass is done by Measurement of weight is done by
using a pan or beam balance. using a spring balance.
Mass does not change even value Weight of the object becomes zero
of g is zero at any place. if g is zero.
Factors affecting value of g
→ Earth is not a perfect sphere. The radius of earth increases when we go
from pole to equator.
→ Therefore, we can take g as constant at the surface of earth or closer to it.
But, as we move away from earth, we can use equation g = GM/d2 for solving
problems.
on moon is one-sixth of the weight on earth.
• Let mass of an object be m, its weight on earth means the force by which
earth attracts it towards the centre.
Now, Fe = (GMem)/(Re)2 .... (i)
where,
G = Gravitational constant
Me = Mass of the earth
m = Mass of object
Re = Radius of the earth
• Weight of an object on moon(Fm) = (GMmm)/(Rm)2 .... (ii)
where,
Mm = Mass of the moon
Rm = Radius of the moon
• Dividing equation (i) by equation (ii), we get
We know that mass of earth is 100 times the mass of the moon.
So, Me = 100 Mm and radius of earth is 4 times the radius of moon.
