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9 Keplers-Laws-of-Planetary-Motion

The document outlines objectives related to understanding diurnal motion, annual motion, and precession of equinoxes, as well as the contributions of Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler to planetary motion. It defines key terms and presents Kepler's three laws of planetary motion, providing examples of how to apply these laws to calculate orbital periods of various celestial bodies. Additionally, it includes problem-solving exercises to reinforce the application of Kepler's laws.

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3 views31 pages

9 Keplers-Laws-of-Planetary-Motion

The document outlines objectives related to understanding diurnal motion, annual motion, and precession of equinoxes, as well as the contributions of Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler to planetary motion. It defines key terms and presents Kepler's three laws of planetary motion, providing examples of how to apply these laws to calculate orbital periods of various celestial bodies. Additionally, it includes problem-solving exercises to reinforce the application of Kepler's laws.

Uploaded by

b1quanti2025
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Objectives:

 characterize motion and differentiate diurnal motion, annual


motion, and precession of equinoxes;
 explain how Brahe’s innovations and extensive collection of
data in observational astronomy paved the way for Kepler’s
discovery of his laws of planetary motion; and
 apply Kepler’s third law of planetary motion to objects in the
solar system.
Definition of terms

 Diurnal motion is the apparent daily motion of the stars,


including the Sun as seen from the Earth due to the
Earth’s rotation.
 Annual motion is the apparent yearly motion of the stars,
including the Sun as seen from the Earth due to the
Earth’s revolution around the Sun.
 Precession of the equinoxes is the apparent motion of
the equinoxes along the ecliptic as the Earth wobbles.
Tycho and Kepler
• Tycho Brahe was the last great observer who did not use a telescope, in the
decades just preceding Galileo.
• He made extremely precise measurements of the positions of the planets over a
long time, using large mechanical devices for precise measurement of angles.
He wanted to prove his own model for the solar system, which was a strange
mixture of Ptolemy’s and the Coperican system. But he lacked the
mathematics to make the necessary reduction of the data, so he hired an
assistant, Johannes Kepler.
• Kepler disagreed with Tycho’s model, but did not complete his work until
after Tycho died.
• Kepler was a great mathematician, and after studying Tycho’s measurements
over many years, he came up with his three laws of planetary motion
(qualitative version):
Kepler’s 1st Law of
Planetary Motion

• Planets move in ellipses with the Sun


at one focus
How to Make an Ellipse

farthest
from closest to
the Sun the sun
Kepler’s 2nd Law of
Planetary Motion

• Planets sweep out equal areas in equal


times.

Note: Orbit shown is highly


eccentric
Planets Greatest
Speed

Planets
Least Speed
Kepler’s 3rd Law of
Planetary Motion

• The Ratio of the Squares of their Orbital


Periods are equal to the Ratio of the Cubes
of the Mean Radii of their Orbits.

(Tmars)2 (Tmars)2 (Rmars)3


= Constant =
(Rmars)3
(Tvenus)2 (Rvenus)3
Suppose a small planet is discovered that is 14 times as far from the sun as the Earth's
distance is from the sun (1.5 x 1011 m). Use Kepler's law of periods to predict the
orbital period of such a planet.

T = 1.66 x 109 s or 52.6 years


The average orbital distance of Mars is 1.52 times the average orbital distance of the
Earth. Knowing that the Earth orbits the sun in approximately 365.25 days, use
Kepler's law of periods to predict the time for Mars to orbit the sun.

T = 5.93 x 107 s or 686 days


Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, has a mean orbital radius of 1.22 x 10 9 m. The orbital
period of Titan is 15.95 days. Hyperion, another moon of Saturn, orbits at a mean
radius of 1.48 x109 m. Use Kepler’s third law of planetary motion to predict the orbital
period of Hyperion in days.
Given:
TT = 15.95 days
RT = 1.22 x 10 9 m
RH = 1.48 × 109 m

Required:
orbital period of Hyperion = ?
= 21.3 days
Earth has an orbital period of 365 days and its mean distance from the Sun is 1.495
x108 km. The planet Pluto’s mean distance from the Sun is 5.896 x10 9 km. Using
Kepler’s third law, calculate Pluto’s orbital period in Earth days.
Given:
TE = 365 days
RE = 1.495 x 108 km
RP = 5.896 × 109 km

Required:
orbital period of Pluto = ?

= 9.00 x 104 days


Directions: Solve the following problems and show solution.

1. Suppose a small planet is discovered that is 8 times as far


from the sun as the Earth's distance is from the sun (1.5 x 10 11 m).
Use Kepler's law of periods to predict the orbital period of such a
planet.
Directions: Solve the following problems and show solution.

2. The average orbital distance of a Saturn is 9.54 times


the average orbital distance of the Earth. Knowing that the
Earth orbits the sun in approximately 365.25 days, use Kepler's
law of periods to predict the time for Saturn to orbit the sun.
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