Gravitational Field Flashcards
What is Newton’s law of universal gravitation?
Newton’s law of universal gravitation states that every two bodies in the universe attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
What is the expression for gravitational force between two bodies?
The expression for gravitational force is 𝐹 = 𝐺 (𝑚1 × 𝑚2) / 𝑟2
where 𝐺 is the gravitational constant,
𝑚 1 and 𝑚 2
are the masses of the bodies,
𝑟 is the distance between their centers.
How do you apply Newton’s law of universal gravitation?
By using the formula
𝐹 = 𝐺 (𝑚1 × 𝑚2) / 𝑟2
to calculate the gravitational force between two masses, given their values and the distance between them.
What is gravitational potential?
Gravitational potential at a point in a gravitational field is the work done per unit mass in bringing a small test mass from infinity to that point.
Q: How do you deduce the expression for gravitational field potentials?
The gravitational potential
𝑉 at a distance 𝑟 from a mass
𝑀 is given by 𝑉 = −(𝐺𝑀) / 𝑟
where 𝐺 is the gravitational constant.
What is the difference between conservative and non-conservative fields?
In a conservative field, the work done in moving a particle between two points is independent of the path taken (e.g., gravitational field). In a non-conservative field, the work done depends on the path taken (e.g., frictional force).
What is acceleration due to gravity?
Acceleration due to gravity
𝑔 is the acceleration experienced by an object due to the gravitational pull of the Earth, approximately 9.8 m/s^2
on Earth’s surface.
Can you give examples of conservative and non-conservative fields?
Conservative fields include gravitational and electrostatic fields, while non-conservative fields include friction and air resistance.
What is the distinction between mass and weight?
Mass is the amount of matter in an object and is constant, while weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity and can vary with location.
What causes variation of
𝑔 on the Earth’s surface?
The variation of 𝑔 is caused by factors such as altitude, latitude, and the Earth’s rotation.
How do you differentiate between mass and weight?
Mass is measured in kilograms (kg) and remains constant regardless of location, while weight is measured in newtons (N) and depends on the gravitational field strength.
Q: How do you determine escape velocity?
A: The escape velocity
𝑣𝑒 from a planet is given by
𝑣𝑒 = √(2𝐺𝑀) / 𝑅
where 𝐺 is the gravitational constant,
𝑀 is the mass of the planet, and
𝑅 is its radius.
What is escape velocity?
Escape velocity is the minimum speed that an object must have to break free from a planet or moon’s gravitational field without further propulsion.
What is a parking orbit?
A parking orbit is a stable orbit around a planet where a satellite or spacecraft remains in place relative to the planet’s surface.
What causes weightlessness?
Weightlessness occurs when an object is in free fall, such as in orbit around Earth, where the gravitational force is balanced by the centripetal force, making the object feel no net force.
