*01 Forces&Energy (8-45).

qxd 25/1/07 5:10 pm Page 15

The gravitational force

Key words
1 Kepler’s laws
Kepler’s laws
sun planet orbit

The second law

sun planet

t3
1 Kepler’s laws
t2 ● Kepler’s first law states that the orbit
of each planet is an ellipse with the
A B Sun at one focus. The orbits of the
planets are often shown as circular.
The first law t1 ● Kepler’s second law (the law of area)

For equal time intervals t2–t1 and t4–t3 states that the radius vector joining
t4
area A = area B each planet to the Sun covers equal
areas in equal times.

2 Sun’s gravitational force FE = 4π2 K mE 2 Sun's gravitational force

The Sun attracts the planets
with a force proportional to
their mass and inversely
proportional to the square of
their distance from the Sun
FM =
3 Universal gravitation
F2–1
m1
F2–1 = – F1–2
= G m1m2
4 Measuring G
lead sphere
R12 ● The Sun attracts the planets with a
force proportional to their mass and
Earth inversely proportional to the square of
FE Sun
their distance from the Sun.
R1
R2 3 Universal gravitation
4π2 K mM FM ● The force of attraction, F, between two
R22 Mars
bodies of mass m1 and m2 which are
distance R apart is given by
F = g m1 m2
R2
● g is the gravitational constant. Its value
is 6.67 x 10-11 N m2 kg-2.
F1–2
m2
4 Measuring G
● In 1798 Cavendish measured the very
small gravitational forces exerted on
two large lead spheres by two small
R gold spheres 5 mm in diameter using a
torsion balance. A calibrated wire is
twisted with force (F).
R2 g is calculated by substituting values
for F, m1, m2 and R in the formula
F = g m1 m2
R
where
m1 is the mass of gold sphere
m2 is the mass of lead sphere
R is the distance between the centers
of m1 and m2
© Diagram Visual Information Ltd.

gold sphere

gold sphere
lead sphere