Chapter – 8 Gravitation Prepared by Sumesh S Nair

medium.
Universal law of gravitation. Acceleration due to
gravity (recapitulation only) and its variation with 3. It is independent of the presence or
altitude and depth. Gravitational potential energy absence of other bodies.
and gravitational potential, escape velocity, orbital 4. It is a central force.
velocity of a satellite, Geo-stationary satellites.
5. It is a conservative force.
Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation
6. It obeys the principle of superposition.
According to Newton‟s law of gravitation,
7. It is the weakest force in nature.
“everybody in the universe attracts every
other body with a force which is directly 8. It is a long-range force.
proportional to the product of their masses
and inversely proportional to the square of the
Acceleration due to Gravity of Earth
distance between them.”
The acceleration with which a body falls towards
the surface of earth. when dropped from a height is
called acceleration due to gravity.

Or, it is the acceleration of a freely falling body.

F m1 m2, F Acceleration due to gravity near the surface of

earth, g = 9.8 m/s2
F F=
Expression for acceleration due to gravity
Where G is a constant called universal m
gravitational constant.
R
The value of G is 6.67 × 10-11 Nm2/ Kg2
Dimensional formula for G [ M-1 L3T-2 ]
M
Note:- The value of G is independent of the

(i) size and shape of the bodies

(ii) (ii) The nature of the medium in which Consider a body of mass „m‟ placed on the surface

they are kept. of earth.

Characteristics of Gravitational force The gravitational force on the body is given by

1. It is always attractive. F= 1

2. It is independent of the intervening

Again, we have, F = m g 2

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Chapter – 8 Gravitation Prepared by Sumesh S Nair

compared to 1. Expanding the RHS of the above

mg=
equation by Binomial theorem and neglecting the
g= higher powers of , we get,

Variation of Acceleration due to gravity

g‟ = ( )
Acceleration due to gravity varies with the shape
The above equation shows that the value of
of earth, altitude, depth and rotation of earth.
acceleration due to gravity decreases with height.
1. Variation of ‘g’ with altitude (Height)
2. Variation of ‘g’ with depth

m For a body of mass „m‟ placed on the

h
surface of earth, we have g = 1

The value of „g‟ on the surface of earth is

g= 1 If „ρ‟ is the mean density of earth, then mass of

earth,
Suppose the body is taken to a height „h‟ above
the surface of earth, the value of acceleration M = Volume x density =  R3 
due to gravity is
the equation 1 become g =
g’ = 2
( )
g =  R G 2
equation we get ,
If the body is kept at a depth of „d‟ from the

= / = = surface of earth, then the mass of radius R–d will

( ) ( )
( ) ( ) only be effective for the gravitational pull
towards the Centre.
=( )
g‟ =  (R-d) G 3
If h < < R, then R is very small
equation 3 / 2 we get

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Chapter – 8 Gravitation Prepared by Sumesh S Nair

= = =1- W=∫ =∫ dx = G M m ∫
( )

W = - G M m * + = - G M m ⌈ ⌉ =
g‟ = g(1 - )

The above eqn. shows that the value of

g decreases with depth. This work done is stored in the body as its

At the centre of the earth, d = R gravitational potential energy U

g‟ = g(1 - ) = g ( 1 – 1) = 0 U=

Gravitational Potential
Note: - The weight of a body of mass „m‟ at the
centre of earth is zero. Gravitational potential at a point in a
gravitational field is defined as “the work done
in bringing a body of unit mass from infinity to
Gravitational Potential Energy
that point”.
Gravitational potential energy is defined as “the
V=
work done in bringing a mass from infinity to a
point in the gravitational field of another body.” It is a Scalar quantity. The S.I unit of V is J/Kg
Dimensional formula is  M L T 
0 2 -2

Escape Velocity

Escape velocity is the minimum velocity with

Let the body of mass „m‟ be at a distance x from which a body must be projected so that it escapes
from the gravitational attraction of earth
the mass „M‟.
permanently.
Now the gravitational force on „m‟ is
Expression for escape velocity
F=
The total work done to move a body of mass „m‟

The work done to displace the body through a from the surface of earth (r = R) to infinity (r = ∞)

distance dx is is given by,

U=
dW = F  dx = dx

Let v be velocity of the body, then K.E of the body

Then the total work done to bring the body from
when projected is
infinity to the point P is given by,

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Chapter – 8 Gravitation Prepared by Sumesh S Nair

K = ½ mv2 Orbital Velocity

The body can escape from the gravitational pull of Orbital velocity of a satellite is the velocity with
earth only if its KE is greater than or equal to the which it revolves round a planet in its fixed
work done in overcoming the gravity orbit.

K U that is ½ mv2 Expression for orbital velocity

Consider a satellite of mass „m‟ that revolves

ve2 (v = ve ) round the earth in an orbit of radius (R + h), with
velocity vo. The centripetal force for the
2
ve = √ , but g = or G M = g R revolution of the satellite is provided by the
gravitational force between satellite and earth.
ve = √ = √
= here v = vo
6 ( ) ( )
Substituting the values, R = 6.4 x 10 m , g = 9.8

m /s 2 we get escape velocity ve = 11.2 Km /s vo2 =

( )

Note:-
vo = √
Escape velocity is independent of the mass of the ( )

body.
but g = or G M = g R2
Escape velocity of a body from moon is 2.38 km/s.

Question: Moon has no atmosphere. Why? vo = √

( )

Escape velocity of a body from the surface

If the satellite is very close to earth, then R + h ≈ R
of moon is 2.38km/s. The root mean square
vo = √ =√ = 8000 m/s = 8 Km/s
velocity of gas molecule on the surface of moon is
(≈ 2.5 km/s) more than escape velocity from the The nearest orbit of a satellite is called minimum
moon. Therefore, gas molecules escape from the orbit and the corresponding velocity is called first
moon and hence moon has no atmosphere. cosmic velocity.

Earth Satellites Relation between escape velocity and first

A body revolving around a planet in a fixed orbit cosmic velocity

is called a satellite. Escape velocity ve = 2 g R = √ √ = 2 vo

The natural satellite of earth is moon. Examples Escape velocity is called second cosmic velocity.
for artificial (manmade) satellite are Sputnik, The Time Period of a satellite (T)
Aryabhata, INSAT etc.

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Chapter – 8 Gravitation Prepared by Sumesh S Nair

“The time taken by a satellite to complete one U= ( )

orbital motion around a planet is called time period
of a satellite”. Thus the total energy, E=K+U

Consider a satellite revolving around the earth in E= + = ( )

( ) ( ) ( )
an orbit of radius „R + h‟ with a velocity vo.
E= -
Time period = ( )

Geostationary and polar Satellites

( ) ( )
T= = ( )x√

( )
T = 2 √ but g = or G M = g R2

( )
T = 2 √

for minimum orbit h = 0

( ) Geostationary Satellites
T = 2 √ = 2 √ = 2 √
A satellite which appears stationary with respect
Substituting the values of R and g, to earth is called geo-stationary satellite.
T = 84.6 minutes. The orbit of such a satellite is called
Energy of an orbiting Satellite geosynchronous orbit.

The K.E of the satellite in a circular orbit with Geostationary satellite revolves the earth in the
orbital velocity „vo‟ is equatorial plane. The time period is 24 hours.
The direction of motion of the satellite is same
K = ½ mvo2
as that of earth, i.e., from west to east.

but vo = √ The height of the orbit of geostationary satellite is

( )
36,000km.

K = ½ m(√( ) = Uses
) ( )
These satellites are mainly used for communication
The gravitational P.E at a distance (R+ h) from
purpose like T V and radio broadcasting and
the centre of earth is
weather forecasting.

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Chapter – 8 Gravitation Prepared by Sumesh S Nair

Polar Satellites

A satellite which revolves in polar orbit is called a

polar satellite. The polar orbit is in the north-south
direction, while earth spins below it in the west-
east direction. Thus a polar satellite can scan the
entire surface of the earth.

Uses

The satellites low lying polar orbits (500 – 800

km) are used for studying the weather,
environment and spying. Polar satellites are
extremely useful for remote sensing, meteorology
as well as for environmental studies of the earth.

Weightlessness

Consider an astronaut (or space-man) of mass „m‟

is present in the artificial satellite. When the
satellite is orbiting around the earth, the man in
the satellite experiences a centrifugal forcewhose
direction is away from the centre.

SUMESH S NAIR, PGT PHYSICS, SREE NARAYANA PUBLIC SCHOOL, KOLLAM