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1. Introduction
Home
2. Kepler’s laws

Categories i. (i) Kepler's First Law (The Law

of Orbits)
eBooks ii. (ii) Kepler's Second Law (The
Law of Areas)

3. Recommended Books
About
i. (iii) Kepler's Third Law (The Law
Contact of Periods)

4. Universal law of gravitation

5. Acceleration Due to Gravity of the
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Earth
Sitemap i. (i) Above the surface of the
Earth
ii. (ii) Below the surface of the
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6. Gravitational potential energy

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7. Escape speed
Privacy 8. Earth satellites
9. Geostationary and polar satellites
Buy PDF Notes ✕ 10. Weightlessness
11. Summary
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 Home / Class 11th (Physics)

Gravitation Class 11 notes Physics Chapter 8

Samar Chourasiya Updated: May 15, 2023 · 8 min read

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 Introduction

Have you ever wondered, why does anything thrown up fall down? Why does not
the moon fall to the earth? Why does not the earth fly off into space rather than
remaining in orbit around the sun? Why do all the planets revolve around the
sun?

In all these cases, there must be some force acting on the moon, the planets and
the falling bodies. In the previous chapter, we have learnt about "Work, Energy
and Power". The force acting on them is called Gravitational force. In this
chapter we shall learn about the basic laws governing gravitation and the motion
of objects under the influence of gravitation.

Kepler’s laws

In astronomy, Kepler's laws of planetary motion, proposed by Johannes Kepler

during the period of 1609 to 1619, describe the orbits of planets around the Sun.
The motion of planets has been a subject of much interest for astronomers from
very early times.

(i) Kepler's First Law (The Law of Orbits)

It states that "All planets move around the sun in elliptical orbits with sun at one
of the focus not at centre of orbit."
:
 (ii) Kepler's Second Law (The Law of Areas)

Kepler's second law states that "The line joining the sun and planet sweeps out
equal areas in equal time or the rate of sweeping area by the position vector of
the planet with respect to sun remains constant."

Let P be the instantaneous position of planet relative to sun. The position vector
of P relative to sun is r. After time Δt, the planet is at Q, having position vector
r+Δr such let Δr = PQ

The area swept out by radius SP in time Δt.

:
 ΔA = Area of triangle PSP'

1
∆A = r × ∆r
2

Area swept by radius vector per second or Areal velocity,

dA ∆A
= lim
dt ∆ t → 0 ∆t

1
dA 2
r × ∆r
= lim
dt ∆t→0 ∆t

dA 1 dr
= r×
dt 2 dt

dA 1
= r×v
dt 2

J
r×v= = cons tan t
m
:
 Areal velocity,

dA 1 J
= ⋅ = cons tan t
dt 2 m

It follows that the are velocity of the radius vector of planet relative to sun
remains constant. This is Kepler's Second Law.

Recommended Books

NCERT Textbook For Class 11 Physics Part 1 & 2

CBSE All In One Physics Class 11 2022-23 Edition
Oswaal CBSE Chapterwise Question Bank Class 11 Physics Book
Modern's abc Plus of Physics for Class-11 (Part I & II)

Read also: Mechanical Properties of Solids Class 11 Physics Notes Chapte 9

(iii) Kepler's Third Law (The Law of Periods)

It states that "The time period of revolution of a planet in its orbit around the sun
is directly proportional to the cube of semi-major axis of the elliptical path around
the sun."

Let T be period of revolution of the planet in elliptical orbit, area of ellipse = πab a
and b being semi-major and semi-minor axes of the ellipse.
:
 Areal velocity,

dA J
=
dt 2m

∴ Period of revolution

Area − of − ellipse
T =
Areal − velocity

πab
T = J
2m

2
4π2 m2 a2 b2
T =
J2

If l is the semi-latus rectum of ellipse, then

b2
l=
a

4 2 2 2
:
 2
4π2 m2 a2 la
T =
J2

i.e.,

T 2 ∝ a3

Since all other quantities are constant. This is Kepler's third law.

Read also: Redox Reactions Class 11 Notes Chemistry Chapter 8

Universal law of gravitation

According to this law, "Every particle of matter in the universe attracts every
other particle with a force that is directly proportional to the product of the
masses of the particles and inversely proportional to the square of the distance
between them".

Mathematically,

F ∝ m1 m2 .....(1)

1
:
 1
F ∝ .....(2)
r2

From eq. (1) & (2), we get

m1 m2
F ∝
r2

Gm1 m2
F =
r2

where G is the universal gravitational constant.

Read also: Conceptual Questions for Class 11 Physics Chapter 8 Gravitation

Acceleration Due to Gravity of the Earth

(i) Above the surface of the Earth

Let us consider a point mass m at a height h above the surface of the earth.
:
 Assume the radius of earth be Re and the mass of earth be Me.

Now, as we know that the mass of earth is concentrated at its centre. The
magnitude of force on the point mass m will be

GMe m
Fh = .....(i)
2
(Re + h)

The acceleration experienced by that point mass will be

F GMe m
gh = =
m (Re + h)2 m

GMe
gh =
(Re + h)2

From the above equation it is clear that as we move above the surface of earth
the value of g reduces.

(ii) Below the surface of the Earth

Let us consider a point mass m at A which is present at depth d below the surface
of the earth. Consider the radius of earth as Re and a mass of Me.
:
 As per our discussion, we know that the gravitational force on point mass m will
be due to the smaller sphere of radius (Re–d) whose mass Ms (say) is

concentrated at the centre.

Now,

4
Ms = π(Re − d)3 ρ
3

4
Me = πR3e ρ
3

Re − d 3
=[ ]
Ms
Me Re

By universal law of gravitation

(Re − d)
Fd = GMe m
R3e

As we know from Newton’s second law that

F
gd =
m
−
:
 Re − d
gd = GMe
R3

Re − d GMe
gd = g .....[ ∴ g = ]
Re R2e

]
d
gd = g[1 −
Re

Thus, as we go down below the earth’s surface, the acceleration due to gravity
decreases.

Gravitational potential energy

The potential energy of a system corresponding to a conservative force has been

defined as

Uf − Ui = − ∫ F . dr

Let a particle of mass m1 and another particle of mass m2 is taken, then The force

on the particle of mass m2 is

Gm1 m2
F =
r2

The work done by the gravitational force in the displacement from r to r + dr is

Gm1 m2
dW = − dr
r2
∞ Gm1 m2
W = −∫ dr
r r2

∞
1
:
 1 ∞
W = − Gm1 m2 [ − ]
r r

1 1
W = − Gm1 m2 ( − + )
∞ r

Gm1 m2
U = −
r

Escape speed

It is the minimum velocity with which a body should be projected from the
surface of a planet so as to reach infinity. Let a body of mass m be projected from
the earth's surface with speed u. The total mechanical energy remains
conserved i.e.,

Total mechanical energy on earth = Total mechanical energy at infinity

Ki + U i = Kf + U f

1 GMm
mv2e − =0+0
2 R

2GM
ve = √
R

ve = √2gR .....[ ∴ GM = gR2 ]

On the earth's surface, ve = 11.2 km/s

Earth satellites

Satellite is a body which revolves continuously in an orbit around a

:
 comparatively much larger body. Earth satellites are those objects which revolve
around the earth. The motion of satellites is very similar to the motion of planets
around the sun and hence Kepler’s laws of planetary motion are most likely
applicable to them. Moon is the only natural satellite of the earth with nearly a
circular orbit with the time period of approximately 27.3 days which is also
roughly equal to the rotational period of the moon about its own axis.

Geostationary and polar satellites

Suppose a satellite on equatorial plane of the earth is revolving with a time

period of 24 hours then it would appear stationary from a point on earth. Hence,
the satellite which appears at a fixed position and at a definite height to an
observer on earth, is called a geostationary satellite.

Weightlessness

Weight of an object is the force with which the earth attracts it. We are conscious
of our own weight when we stand on a surface, since the surface exerts a force
opposite to our weight to keep us at rest.
:
 "When an object is in free fall, it is weightless and this phenomenon is usually
called the weightlessness." In a manned satellite, people inside experience no
gravity. This is a example of weightlessness.

Summary

Gravitational force: It is a force of attraction between the two bodies by

the virtue of their masses.

Acceleration due to gravity: The acceleration produced in the motion of a

body freely falling towards earth under the force of gravity is known as
acceleration due to gravity.

Gravitational potential energy: The amount of work done in displacing

the particle from infinity to a point under consideration.

Gravitational potential: The gravitational potential due to the gravitational

force of the earth is defined as the potential energy of a particle of unit
mass at that point.

Escape speed: The minimum speed with which the body has to be projected
vertically upwards from the surface of the earth is called escape speed.

Orbital speed: The minimum speed required to put the satellite into the
given orbit around earth is called orbital speed.

Satellite: It is a body which revolves continuously in an orbit around a

comparatively much larger body.

Polar satellite: It is the satellite which revolves in polar orbit around the
earth.

Geostationary satellite: It is the satellite which appears at a fixed position

and at a definite height to an observer on earth.

Kepler’s Ist law: All planets move in elliptical orbits, with the sun at one of
:
 foci of the ellipse.

Kepler’s IInd law: The line that joins any planet to the sun sweeps out
equal areas in equal intervals of time.

Kepler’s IIIrd law: The square of the time period of revolution of a planet is
proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of the ellipse traced out by
the planet.

Newton’s universal law of gravitation: Every particle in the universe

attracts every other particle with a force which is directly proportional to the
product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between them.

Gravitational force is a conservative force.

The value of acceleration due ot gravity is maximum at the surface of the

earth while zero at the centre of earth.

Henry Cavendish was the first person who found the value of G
experimentally.

Gravitational force on a particle inside a spherical shell is zero.

Gravitational shielding is not possible.

An astronaut experiences weightlessness in a space satellite. It is because

both the astronaut and the satellite are in “free fall” towards the earth.

The value of g increases from equator to poles.

The escape speed from a point on the surface of the earth may depend on
its location on the earth e.g., escape speed is more on poles and less on
equator.

The orbital speed of satellite is independent of mass of the satellites.

Kepler’s laws hold equally well for satellites.

:
 Read also

Work, Energy and Power Chapter 9 Physics NCERT PDF Book

Redox Reactions Class 11 Notes Chemistry Chapter 8
Class 11 Physics All Chapter wise Notes

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