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13.3 Gravitational Field of A Point Mass.

The document discusses the gravitational field created by point masses, deriving the equation g = GM/r² for gravitational field strength from Newton's law of gravitation. It explains the concept of gravitational potential energy and escape speed, emphasizing that gravitational potential is negative and increases to zero at infinity. Key equations and definitions related to gravitational fields, strengths, and energies are provided, along with their implications near the Earth's surface.

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Thee Kullatee
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8 views16 pages

13.3 Gravitational Field of A Point Mass.

The document discusses the gravitational field created by point masses, deriving the equation g = GM/r² for gravitational field strength from Newton's law of gravitation. It explains the concept of gravitational potential energy and escape speed, emphasizing that gravitational potential is negative and increases to zero at infinity. Key equations and definitions related to gravitational fields, strengths, and energies are provided, along with their implications near the Earth's surface.

Uploaded by

Thee Kullatee
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Gravitational field masses.

Topic 13.3 Gravitational field


of point masses.
Learning outcomes.
1. derive, from Newton’s law of gravitation and
the definition of gravitational field, the equation
g = GM /r2 for the gravitational field strength due
to a point mass
2. recall and use g = GM/r2
3. understand why g is approximately constant
for small changes in height near the Earth’s
surface
Newton´s Law of
Gravitation
Newton proposed that

“Every particle of matter 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 their distance apart”
This can be written as
F = G m1m2
r2
Where G is Newton´s constant of
Universal Gravitation
It has a value of 6.667 x 10-11
Nm2kg-2
Gravitational Field
Strength
A mass M creates a gravitational
field in space around it.
If a mass m is placed at some point
in space around the mass M it will
experience the existance of the
field in the form of a gravitational
force
We define the gravitational field
strength as the ratio of the force the
mass m would experience to the mass,
m
That is the gravitational field strength at
a point, it is the force exerted per unit
mass on a particle of small mass placed
at that point
The force experienced by a mass
m placed a distance r from a mass
M is
F = G Mm
r2
And so the gravitational field
strength of the mass M is g = G M

r2
The unit of gravitational field
strength is N kg-1
The gravitational field strength is a
vector quantity whose direction is
given by the direction of the force
a mass would experience if placed
at the point of interest
Field Strength at the Surface of a Planet

If we replace the particle M with a


sphere of mass M and radius R then
relying on the fact that the sphere
behaves as a point mass situated at its
centre the field strength at the surface
of the sphere will be given byg = G M

R2
If the sphere is the Earth then we have
g = G Me
Re2
But the field strength is equal to the
acceleration that is produced on the
mass, hence we have that the
acceleration of free fall at the surface of
the Earth, g
g = G Me
Re2
Gravitational Energy and Potential

We know that the graviational


potential energy increases as a
mass is raised above the Earth
The work done in moving a mass
between two points is positive
when moving away from the Earth
By definition the gravitational
potential energy is taken as being
zero at infinity
The gravitational potential at any point
in the Earth´s field is given by the
formula
V = - G Me
r
Where r is the distance from the centre
of the Earth (providing r >R)
The negative sign allows for the fact
that all the potentials are negative as
they have to increase to zero
Definition
The potential is therefore a measure of
the amount of work that has to be done
to move particles between points in a
gravitational field and its units are J kg –1
The work done is independent of the
path taken between the two points in
the field, as it is the difference between
the initial and final potentials that give
the value
Escape Speed
The escape speed is the speed
required for a projectile to leave
the Earth´s gravitational
attraction.
i.e. To get to infinity!
If the potential at the Earth´s
surface is
V = - G Me
Re
Then the Ep change to get to
infinity is
G Me x m
Re
For this amount of energy to be gained
the projectile must have had an equal
amount of Ek
Therefore ½mv2 = G Me x m
Re
v = ( 2GMe
Re )
But using the fact that g = G Me
Re2
Then v = (2gRe )

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