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Lab - Orbital Motion Take-Home

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88 views

Lab - Orbital Motion Take-Home

Uploaded by

absceptual
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Orbital Motion Take-Home Lab

Purpose: To determine how gravitational force is related to the masses of the objects attracting
and their separation distance; to determine the relationships among speed, radius, and period for
circular orbits.

Procedure:
• Navigate to https://veillette.github.io/simulations/my-solar-system/
• You should see a yellow circle (the star) and a pink circle (the planet).
• On the right side of the page, make sure that “Show Grid” is checked.

• Do the seven trials shown on the data table on the next page. The seven trials vary the
star’s mass, planet’s mass, orbital radius, and orbital speed. Fill in the masses and radius
in the boxes as shown in the above diagram.

• For each trial, use trial-and-error to determine the speed that the planet must have to orbit
the star in a circular orbit. You are finding the speed that goes with each set of masses
and radius to cause a circular orbit.

Speed too slow (the planet Speed too fast (the planet goes Speed just right (orbit is a
gets closer to the star). farther from the star) circle)

• Find the period of each orbit using the method explained in the space below. (There are
multiple ways so that’s why you have to explain here.)

• Find the centripetal acceleration and the centripetal force acting on the planet.

A note about units: This simulation does not use meter/kilogram/second units. The units in this
simulation are unspecified, so we will refer to the units of length as “frensometers” [Fm], units of
time as “frenseconds” [Fs], and units of mass as “frensograms” [Fg].
Trial Star’s Planet’s Radius of Orbital Orbital Centripetal Gravitational
Mass Mass Orbit Speed Period Acceleration Force
M [Fg] m [Fg] R [Fm] v [Fm/Fs] T [Fs] ac [Fm/Fs2] F [Fg Fm/Fs2]
1 300 0.2 100
2 100 0.1 200
3 100 0.1 100
4 200 0.2 100
5 100 0.1 300
6 100 0.3 100
7 100 0.2 100

For each of the following sections, choose the trials that would best accomplish the purpose of
that section. Create a graph and obtain a power regression.

Establishing the relationship between force and planet mass

Star’s Mass M = _______________

Orbital Radius R = _______________

Trial Planet’s Gravitational


Mass Force
m [Fg] F [Fg Fm/Fs2]

Power Regression: _________________________

Establishing the relationship between force and star mass

Planet’s Mass m = _______________

Orbital Radius R = _______________

Trial Star’s Gravitational


Mass Force
M [Fg] F [Fg Fm/Fs2]

Power Regression: _________________________


Establishing the relationship between force and radius

Star’s Mass M = _______________

Planet’s Mass m = _______________

Trial Radius of Gravitational


Orbit Force
R [Fm] F [Fg Fm/Fs2]

Power Regression: _________________________

Conclusion:

Complete the following statements using your power regressions:


• Gravitational force has a ______________________________ relationship with star mass.
• Gravitational force has a ______________________________ relationship with planet mass.
• Gravitational force has a ______________________________ relationship with distance.

Use these three statements to create an equation that relates gravitational force, star mass, planet
mass, and distance. Include a constant of proportionality.
Determining the value of G in this simulation: Linearize your data for radius and orbital
period (the third set of trials). Use this linearization to find the value of the Univeral
Graviational Constant G in this units of this simulation. Note: because this simulation does not
use kilograms, meters, seconds, newtons, the value of G is not 6.67 × 10–11 or anything gclose to
it.

Star Mass M = __________ Fg Planet Mass m = __________ Fg

 Fill In Original Data  Linearized Data


Trial x-variable y-variable
Radius Period
Trial
r (Fm) T (Fs)

 Derive an equation that relates orbital radius  Graph the data. Write the linear regression
r and orbital period T. Solve the equation so equation. Use the slope to find G in the units
that the two variables are on one side by of this simulation.
themselves. Write your linearized x and y in
the linearized data table, then fill in that table.

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