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Forces and Motion: 2.8:: Understanding Gravity

1. Newton was the first to study gravity and realized that gravity causes apples and other objects to fall toward Earth. 2. Gravity is a force that pulls all objects on Earth toward its center. When only the force of gravity is acting on an object, its motion is called free fall. 3. In a vacuum with no air resistance, all objects fall at the same rate of about 10 m/s2 due to Earth's gravity.

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Siti Nur Dalila
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118 views

Forces and Motion: 2.8:: Understanding Gravity

1. Newton was the first to study gravity and realized that gravity causes apples and other objects to fall toward Earth. 2. Gravity is a force that pulls all objects on Earth toward its center. When only the force of gravity is acting on an object, its motion is called free fall. 3. In a vacuum with no air resistance, all objects fall at the same rate of about 10 m/s2 due to Earth's gravity.

Uploaded by

Siti Nur Dalila
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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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CHAPTER 2 : FORCES AND MOTION

2.8 :: UNDERSTANDING GRAVITY

History ab0ut gravity.


Newton was the 1st person

who studied the force of gravity. He got an inspiration when an apple fell from a tree, hitting his head. Hehheehhe Newton cute laaa

Hist0ry about gravity


Newtons opinion

The falling apple was acted on by a force of attraction, [the force of attraction due to gravity from the centre of earth]

Objects fall because they

are pulled towards the Earth by the force of gravity. This force is known as the pull of gravity or the earths gravitational force. The earths gravitational force tends to pull everything towards its centre.

FREE FALL

Any object which falls only under the influence of the force of attraction due to gravity and without any influence of other forces is said to experience FREE FALL.

FREE FALL

An object is falling freely

when it is falling under the force of gravity only.


A piece of paper does not

fall freely because its fall is affected by air resistance.

FREE FALL
An object falls freely only in vacuum. The absence of air means there is no air

resistance to oppose the motion of the object.


In vacuum, both light and heavy objects fall

freely. They fall with the same acceleration that is the acceleration due to gravity, g.

FREE FALL

(a) With air resistance


(b) Without air resistance

(in vacuum)

Practically, free falling can only take place in vacuum.

1. Explain Acceleration due to gravity


All objects which experience free fall will fall with the

same acceleration, that is ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY. This constant acceleration is known as the gravitational acceleration, g. The standard value of the gravitational acceleration, g is 9.81 m s-2. The value of g is often taken to be 10 m s-2 for simplicity. The magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity depends on the strength of the gravitational field.

2. State what a gravitational field is


The gravitational field is the region around the earth

in which an object experiences a force towards the centre of the earth.


This force is the gravitational attraction between the

object and the earth.

3. Define gravitational field strength


The gravitational field strength is defined as the

gravitational force which acts on a mass of 1 kilogram.

Its unit is N kg-1.

4. Determine the value of acceleration due to gravity


Gravitational field strength, g = 10 N kg-1 Acceleration due to gravity, g = 10 m s-2 The approximate value of g can therefore be

written either as 10 m s-2 or as 10 N kg-1.

Gravitational Field Strength vs. Gravitational Acceleration


When considering a body falling freely, the g is the

gravitational acceleration. g (= 9.8 m s-2)


When considering objects at rest, g is the Earths

gravitational field strength acting on it. g (=9.8 N kg-1)

5. Define weight (W) as the product of mass (m) and acceleration due to gravity (g) i.e. W = mg.
The weight of an object is defined as the

gravitational force acting on the object.


Weight = mass x gravitational acceleration W = mg

SI unit : Newton, N and it is a vector quantity

6. Solve problems involving acceleration due to gravity


Example 1

Can you estimate the gravitational force act to your

body? mass = 60 kg, g = 9.8 N kg-1, F = ?

Example 1

Can you estimate the gravitational force act to your

body? mass = 60 kg, g = 9.8 N kg-1, F = ? F = mg = (60) (9.8) = 588.0 N

Example 2

A satellite of mass 600 kg in orbit experiences a

gravitational force of 4800 N. Calculate the gravitational field strength.

Example 2

A satellite of mass 600 kg in orbit experiences a

gravitational force of 4800 N. Calculate the gravitational field strength. Given : m = 600 kg. F = 4800 N, g = ? g = F = 4800 . = 8 N kg-1 m 600

Example 3

A stone is released from rest and falls into a well.

After 1.2 s, it hits the bottom of the well. (a) What is the velocity of the stone when it hits the bottom? (b) Calculate the depth of the well.

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