1 GRAVITATION

GRAVITATION
8.1 Introduction.

N ewton at the age of twenty-three is said to have seen an apple

falling down from tree in his orchid. This was the year 1665. He
started thinking about the role of earth's attraction in the motion of
moon and other heavenly bodies.
By comparing the acceleration due to gravity due to earth with
the acceleration required to keep the moon in its orbit around the
earth, he was able to arrive the Basic Law of Gravitation.
8.2 Newton's law of Gravitation .
Newton's law of gravitation states that every body in this universe attracts every other body with a
force, which is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square
of the distance between their centres. The direction of the force is along the line joining the particles.
Thus the magnitude of the gravitational force F that two particles of masses m 1 and m 2 separated by a
m m
distance r exert on each other is given by F  1 2 2
r A   B
F F
12 21
m1m 2 m1 m2
or FG 2
r r
Vector form : According to Newton's law of gravitation
 Gm 1 m 2 Gm 1 m 2  Gm 1 m 2 
F 12  2
r̂21  3
r 21  
r 21
r r | r 21 | 3
r̂12 = unit vector from A to B
r̂21 = unit vector from B to A,

 Gm 1 m 2 Gm 1 m 2  Gm 1 m 2  F12 = gravitational force
Similarly F 21  r̂1 2  r12  
r12 exerted on body A by
r2 r3 | r12 | 3 body B

Gm 1 m 2 F 21 = gravitational force
 r̂21 [rˆ12  rˆ21 ] exerted on body B by
r2
body A
 
 It is clear that F 12 = – F 21 . Which is Newton's third law of motion.
Here G is constant of proportionality which is called 'Universal gravitational constant'.
If m 1  m 2 and r  1 then G  F
i.e. universal gravitational constant is equal to the force of attraction between two bodies each of unit
mass whose centres are placed unit distance apart.

(ii) The value of G is 6.67×10–11 N–m2 kg–2 in S.I. and 6.67×10–8 dyne- cm2-g–2 in C.G.S. system.

Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535

 2 GRAVITATION

8.3 Properties of Gravitational Force.

(1) It is always attractive in nature while electric and magnetic force can be attractive or repulsive.
(2) It is independent of the medium between the particles while electric and magnetic force depend on
the nature of the medium between the particles.
(3) It holds good over a wide range of distances. It is found true for interplanetary to inter atomic
distances.
(4) It is a central force i.e. acts along the line joining the centres of two interacting bodies.
(5) It is a two-body interaction i.e. gravitational force between two particles is independent of the
presence or absence of other particles; so the principle of superposition is valid i.e. force on a particle due to
   
number of particles is the resultant of forces due to individual particles i.e. F  F1  F 2  F 3  ........
While nuclear force is many body interaction
(6) It is the weakest force in nature : As Fnuclear > F electromagnetic > F gravitational .

(7) The ratio of gravitational force to electrostatic force between two electrons is of the order of 10 43 .
(8) It is a conservative force i.e. work done by it is path independent or work done in moving a particle
round a closed path under the action of gravitational force is zero.
(9) It is an action reaction pair i.e. the force with which one body (say earth) attracts the second body
(say moon) is equal to the force with which moon attracts the earth. This is in accordance with Newton's third
law of motion.

Problem Four particles of masses m, 2m, 3m and 4m are kept in sequence at the corners of a square of side a.
The magnitude of gravitational force acting on a particle of mass m placed at the centre of the square
will be

24 m 2 G 6m 2G 4 2 Gm 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Zero
a2 a2 a2

Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535

 3 GRAVITATION

8.4 Acceleration Due to Gravity.

The force of attraction exerted by the earth on a body is called gravitational pull or gravity.
We know that when force acts on a body, it produces acceleration. Therefore, a body under the effect of
gravitational pull must accelerate.
The acceleration produced in the motion of a body under the effect of gravity is called acceleration due
to gravity, it is denoted by g.
Consider a body of mass m is lying on the surface of earth then gravitational force on the body is given
by
GMm
F  …..(i)
R2
Where M = mass of the earth and R = radius of the earth.
If g is the acceleration due to gravity, then the force on the body due to earth is given by
Force = mass  acceleration
m
or F = mg …..(ii)
mg R
GMm
From (i) and (ii) we have mg  Earth
R2
GM
 g 2 …..(iii)
 R

G 4 3  4
 g  R   [As mass (M) = volume ( R 3 ) × density ()]
R 3
2
 3

4
 g  GR …..(iv)
3

Problem Acceleration due to gravity on moon is 1/6 of the acceleration due to gravity on earth. If the ratio of
  5
densities of earth (m ) and moon (  e ) is  e   then radius of moon Rm in terms of Re will be
 m  3
5 1 3 1
(a) Re (b) Re (c) Re (d) Re
18 6 18 2 3

Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535

 4 GRAVITATION

Problem A spherical planet far out in space has a mass M 0 and diameter D0 . A particle of mass m falling freely
near the surface of this planet will experience an acceleration due to gravity which is equal to

(a) GM 0 / D02 (b) 4 mGM 0 / D02 (c) 4 GM 0 / D 02 (d) GmM 0 / D02

Problem The moon's radius is 1/4 that of the earth and its mass is 1/80 times that of the earth. If g represents
the acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the earth, that on the surface of the moon is

g g g g
(a) (b) (c) (d)
4 5 6 8

Problem If the radius of the earth were to shrink by 1% its mass remaining the same, the acceleration due to
gravity on the earth's surface would [IIT-JEE 1981; CPMT 1981; MP PMT 1996, 97; Roorkee 1992; MP PET 1999]
(a) Decrease by 2% (b) Remain unchanged (c)Increase by 2% (d) Increase by 1%

8.5 Variation in g Due to Shape of Earth.

Earth is elliptical in shape. It is flattened at the poles and bulged out at the equator. The equatorial
GM
radius is about 21 km longer than polar radius, from g  2
R
gp
GM
At equator ge  2 ......(i)
Re Rp
ge
Re
GM
At poles gp  2 .....(ii)
Rp

ge R p2
From (i) and (ii)  2
gp Re

Since R equator  R pole  g pole  g equator and g p  g e  0 .018 ms 2

Therefore the weight of body increases as it is taken from equator to the pole.

Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535

 5 GRAVITATION

8.6 Variation in g With Height. g

h
Acceleration due to gravity at the surface of the earth r g

GM R
g .....(i) O
R2
Acceleration due to gravity at height h from the surface of the earth
GM
g'  .....(ii)
(R  h) 2

( 2) gh GM R2
  
(1) g ( R  h) 2 GM

gh R2
 
g ( R  h) 2
2
gh R2 1  h
i.e.  2
 2
 1  
g  2 h  h  R
R 1   1  
 R  R
Here if h <<<<<< R, then squares and higher powers of h/R can be neglected.
gh 2h  2h  2g h
  1  So gh  g 1   g
g R  R  R
2h g 2h g
Hence g h  g   or g  g h 
R R
Here g - gh gives the decrease in value of g. Since the value of g at a given place on earth is constant and R is
also constant, g - gh  h. So as h increases, gh must decrease as g is a constant. Thus the value of
acceleration due to gravity decreases with increase in height above the surface of earth.

8.7 Variation in g With. Depth.

Assume the earth to be homogeneous sphere ( having uniform density) of radius R and mass M. Let be
the mean density of earth. Consider a body of mass m lying on the surface of earth at a place where g is the
acceleration due to gravity.
4
G  R3 
GM 3
Then g  
R2 R2
4
i.e. g =  R  G ........(1)
3
Now let the body be taken to a depth d below the surface of earth where the value of acceleration due to
gravity is gd.
Here the force of gravity acting on the body is only due to the inner solid sphere of radius R - d.
Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535
 6 GRAVITATION

G Ml G 4
So g d     (R  d )3  ; where Ml is the mass of the inner solid sphere of
R  d 2
R  d  3
2

radius R - d.
4
i.e. g d =  ( R  d )  G ............(2)
3
4
( 2) gd  ( R  d)  G R  d
  3 
(1) g 4 R
 R G
3

gd d  d
 1 g d  g 1  
Or  R
g R

gd
Or g  gd 
R
Here g  g d gives the decrease in value of g with depth. Since g is a constant at a given place of earth and R
is also a constant, g  g d  d. From the above equation it is clear that if d increases, gd must decrease,
because g is a constant. Thus the value of acceleration due to gravity decreases with the increase of
depth.

Weight of a body at the centre of earth.

 d
At a depth d below the free surface of earth, g d  g 1  
 R

 R
At the centre of earth, d = R g d  g 1    0

 R
If m is the mass of a body lying at the centre of earth, then its weight = m gd = 0.
Hence the weight of a body at the centre of the earth is zero.
Comparison of height and depth for the same change in ‘g’.
As we have seen the value of g decreases as we go above the surface of earth or below the surface of
earth. i.e. the value of g is maximum on the surface of earth.
 2h   d
g h  g 1   and g d  g 1    0 i.e. 2h  d
 R   R
Thus the value of g at a height h is same as the value of g at a depth d = 2h. But this is true only if h is very small.

Problem The acceleration of a body due to the attraction of the earth (radius R) at a distance 2R from the
surface of the earth is (g = acceleration due to gravity at the surface of the earth)

g g g
(a) (b) (c) (d) g
9 3 4

Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535

 7 GRAVITATION

Problem Weight of a body of mass m decreases by 1% when it is raised to height h above the earth's surface. If
the body is taken to a depth h in a mine, change in its weight is
(a) 2% decrease (b) 0.5% decrease (c) 1% increase (d) 0.5% increase

Problem Assuming earth to be a sphere of a uniform density, what is the value of gravitational acceleration in a
mine 100 km below the earth's surface (Given R = 6400km)

(a) 9.66 m / s 2 (b) 7.64 m / s 2 (c) 5.06 m / s 2 (d) 3.10 m / s 2

8.8 Variation in g Due to Rotation of Earth.

As the earth rotates, a body placed on its surface moves along the circular path and hence experiences
centrifugal force, due to it, the apparent weight of the body decreases.

Since the magnitude of centrifugal force varies with the latitude of the P
r Fc
place, therefore the apparent weight of the body varies with latitude due to mg

mg
variation in the magnitude of centrifugal force on the body.
If the body of mass m lying at point P, whose latitude is , then due to
rotation of earth its apparent weight can be given by m g   mg  Fc

or m g   (mg )2  (Fc )2  2mg Fc cos(180  )

 o o

 m g   (mg )  (m  R cos )  2mg m  R cos  ( cos ) [As Fc  m  2 r  m  2 R cos  ]

2 2 2 2

By solving we get g   g   2 R cos 2 

(i) Substituting   90 o in the above expression we get g pole  g   2 R cos 2 90 o

 g pole  g …..(i)

i.e., there is no effect of rotational motion of the earth on the value of g at the poles.

(ii) Substituting   0 o in the above expression we get g eqator  g   2 R cos 2 0 o

 g equator  g   2 R …..(ii)

i.e., the effect of rotation of earth on the value of g at the equator is maximum.

From equation (i) and (ii) g pole  g equator  R  2  0 .034 m / s 2

(iii) When a body of mass m is moved from the equator to the poles, its weight increases by an amount

m (g p  g e )  m  2 R

(iv) Weightlessness due to rotation of earth : As we know that apparent weight of the body decreases due to
rotation of earth. If  is the angular velocity of rotation of earth for which a body at the equator will become
weightless

Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535

 8 GRAVITATION

g   g   2 R cos 2 

 0  g   2 R cos 2 0 o [As   0 o for equator]

g
 g 2R  
R

2 R
or time period of rotation of earth T   2
 g

Substituting the value of R  6400  10 3 m and g  10 m / s 2 we get

1 rad
  1.25  10 3 and T  5026 .5 sec  1.40 hr .
800 sec

1
This time is about times the present time period of earth. Therefore if earth starts
17
rotating 17 times faster then all objects on equator will become weightless.
8.9 Gravitational Field .
The space surrounding a material body in which gravitational force of attraction can be experienced is
called its gravitational field.
Gravitational field intensity : The intensity of the gravitational field of a material body at any
point in its field is defined as the force experienced by a unit mass (test mass) placed at that point, provided
the unit mass (test mass) itself does not produce any change in the field of the body.

So if a test mass m at a point in a gravitational field experiences a force F then

F
I 
m

(i) It is a vector quantity and is always directed towards the centre of gravity of body whose gravitational field is
considered.
(ii) Units : Newton/kg or m/s2
(iii) Dimension : [M0LT–2]
(iv) If the field is produced by a point mass M and the test mass m is at a distance r from it then by
GMm
Newton’s law of gravitation F  Test mass
r2
r m
F GMm / r 2 GM
then intensity of gravitational field I   I 2 M
m m r Source point


Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535
 9 GRAVITATION

8.10 Gravitational Potential Energy.

Gravitational potential at any point inside a gravitational field is defined as the work done in
taking a unit mass from infinity to that point.
Consider a body of mass m situated x
at O as in figure. P F
m 
The body has a gravitational field
O r B dx A
surrounding it on all sides. The force F
acting on a unit mass placed at a point A, at a distance x from O is given by
G m 1 Gm
F 2
 along AO.
x x2
Now let the unit mass be displaced through a small distance dx from A to B. If dw is the work done by the
gravitational force in moving the unit mass from A to B,
 
dw  F  dx  F dx cos   F dx { since F and dx are in the same direction}
G m dx
or dw 
x2
Therefore the total work done in taking the unit mass from infinity to P, which is also the gravitational potential
V at point P is given by
W r r r
G m dx 2  x 2  1 
V   dw    G m  x dx  G m  
0 
x2    2  1 
r
 1  1 1 
i.e, V  G m     G m  
 x   r   

G m
 V 
r
The negative sign shows that the gravitational force is attractive in nature.

Note:(1) If a large mass M (may be earth) is doing work in taking a small mass m from infinity to a point P
G M m
distant r from M, then gravitational potential energy, V 
r
(2)Gravitational PE is maximum and zero at infinity. At all other points, it is less than zero. It is a scalar
quantity.
The gravitational potential energy of a body at a point is defined as the amount of work done in

r
GMm 1 

r
W  dx  GMm x 
 x2   M m
r
GMm
W 
r
This work done is stored inside the body as its gravitational potential energy

Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535

 10 GRAVITATION

8.11 Geostationary or Synchronous satellite

A geostationary satellite is an artificial satellite orbiting the earth so that its time period is synchronous
(same) with that of the earth. The orbit in which they stay is called parking orbit or geostationary orbit.
Uses: Communication, weather forcasting etc.

.
8.12 Orbital velocity of a satellite
The velocity with which a satellite moves in its closed orbit is called orbital velocity.
Consider a satellite of mass m moving with a velocity v around the earth of mass M and radius R. Let r is the
orbital radius of the satellite.
Here the centripetal force for rotation of satellite is given by gravitational force.

m v2 GMm GM
i.e,  2
or v 2 
r r r
GM
or v  ................(1)
r

If the satellite is at a height h above the surface of earth, then, r = R + h

GM
 v  .............(2)
(R  h )

GM
But g  Therefore, G M = g R2.
R2

g R2
Therefore, from (2), v 
(R  h )
If the satellite is close to the earth, (R + h)  R
GM
Therefore, orbital velocity, v  R
 gR

This orbit in which the satellite revolve is called minimum orbit. The velocity corresponding to minimum
orbit is called first cosmic velocity.
The value of first cosmic velocity is 7.92 km/s.

8.13 Time period of a satellite.

It is the time taken by the satellite to revolve once around the earth.
2r GM
If a satellite moves with a velocity v in an orbit of radius r, then time period, T  . But v 
v R

2r r3
 T   2 ...........(1)
GM GM
R
If the satellite is at a height h from earth, r = R + h.
Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535
 11 GRAVITATION

(R  h) 3
 T  2 ...........( 2)
GM

R3
For minimum orbit, T  2  ...........(3)
GM

8.14 Escape Velocity.

.
Escape velocity is defined as the least velocity with which a body must be projected vertically
upwards so that it may escape the gravitational pull of earth.
Consider a body of mass m placed on the surface of earth of mass M and radius R. Let the body be
projected upwards with a velocity ve so that it escapes from the gravitational field of earth.
Then KE of the body near the surface of earth = ½ m ve2.
GMm
PE of the body on the surface of earth PE  
R
1 GMm
Total energy of the body near the surface = m v e2 
2 R
At infinity, PE = KE = 0.
1 GMm
 m v e2   0.
2 R
1 GMm
 m v e2 
2 R

2G M 2g R2  GM 
 ve    2gR  g 
R R  R 2 
The escape velocity of earth is 11.2 km/s.

8.15 Wo rk Done Against Gravity.

If the body of mess m is moved from the surface of earth to a point at distance h above the surface of
earth, then change in potential energy or work done against gravity will be
1 1 
W  U  GMm   
 r1 r2 

1 1 
 W  GMm    [As r1  R and r2  R  h ]
R R  h
GMmh mgh GM
 W  [As  g]
 h h R2
R 2 1   1 
 R R

Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535

 12 GRAVITATION

8.16 Energy of a satellite in its orbit

.
The kinetic energy of the satellite in a circular orbit at height h from surface of earth with speed v is
1
K.E = mv 2 .
2

GM
But v 
Rh

1 GM
 kE  m .
2 (R  h)
GMm
The potential energy at distance (R+h) from the centre of the earth is p. E  .
(R  h)
1 GMm GMm
 Total energy E = k.E. + p.E =  .
2 (R  h) (R  h)
1 GMm
E= 
2 (R  h)

8.18 Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion.

(1) The law of Orbits : Every planet moves around the sun in an
elliptical orbit with sun at one of the foci. Sun
(2) The law of Area : The line joining the sun to the planet sweeps out dA v dt
r
equal areas in equal interval of time. i.e. areal velocity is constant. According
to this law planet will move slowly when it is farthest from sun and more
rapidly when it is nearest to sun. It is similar to law of conservation of
angular momentum.
dA 1 r(vdt) 1
Areal velocity    rv
dt 2 dt 2
dA L L
  [As L  mvr ; rv  ]
dt 2m m

(3) The law of periods : The square of period of revolution (T ) of any planet around sun is directly
proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of the orbit.
r r 
3

T 2  a 3 or T 2   1 2 
 2  E

Proof : From the figure AB  AF  FB Perigee Apogee

Sun F r2
r1  r2 A B
2a  r1  r2  a  where a = semi-major axis r1 C a
2
r1  Shortest distance of planet from sun (perigee). D

r2  Largest distance of planet from sun (apogee). Ronnie David Roy, 9497756535