Lesson 1: Newtonian Gravitation
Overview:
You will expand your study of gravitational forces and energies beyond the surface of the Earth. In addition, you will be introduced to the concept of gravitational fields and associated formulas. Examples and questions will be used to reinforce concepts and provide problem solving practice.
Curriculum Expectations:
Overall Expectations:
D2. Investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields, and solve related problems.
D3. Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts, properties, principles, and laws related to gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields and their interactions with matter.
Specific Expectations:
D2.1 Use appropriate terminology related to fields, including, but not limited to: forces, potential energies, potential, and exchange particles.
D2.2 Analyze, and solve problems relating to, Newton’s law of universal gravitation and circular motion (e.g., with respect to satellite orbits, black holes, dark matter).
D2.5 Conduct a laboratory inquiry or computer simulation to examine the behaviour of a particle in a field (e.g., test Coulomb’s law; replicate Millikan’s experiment or Rutherford’s scattering experiment; use a bubble or cloud chamber).
D3.3 Use field diagrams to explain differences in the sources and directions of fields, including, but not limited to, differences between near- Earth and distant fields, parallel plates and point charges, straight line conductors and solenoids.
D2. Investigate, in qualitative and quantitative terms, gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields, and solve related problems.
D3. Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts, properties, principles, and laws related to gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields and their interactions with matter.
Specific Expectations:
D2.1 Use appropriate terminology related to fields, including, but not limited to: forces, potential energies, potential, and exchange particles.
D2.2 Analyze, and solve problems relating to, Newton’s law of universal gravitation and circular motion (e.g., with respect to satellite orbits, black holes, dark matter).
D2.5 Conduct a laboratory inquiry or computer simulation to examine the behaviour of a particle in a field (e.g., test Coulomb’s law; replicate Millikan’s experiment or Rutherford’s scattering experiment; use a bubble or cloud chamber).
D3.3 Use field diagrams to explain differences in the sources and directions of fields, including, but not limited to, differences between near- Earth and distant fields, parallel plates and point charges, straight line conductors and solenoids.
Success Criteria:
- Describe the universal law of gravitation.
- What is gravitational constant?
- Is the gravitational force always attractive?
- Does every mass in the universe exert a force of attraction on every other mass?
- Is the value of g constant? If not, what does it depend on?
- Define and describe the gravitational field and gravitational field strength. Is gravitational field strength the same as acceleration due to gravity?
Time Allocation: 4 hours
Learning Activities:
Read pages 288 - 295 from Nelson 6.1
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Gravity and Orbits
Move the sun, earth, moon and space station to see how it affects their gravitational forces and orbital paths. Visualize the sizes and distances between different heavenly bodies, and turn off gravity to see what would happen without it! |
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In the playlist below, video:
- Will explain Newton's Law of Gravity and give an example of how it works.
- Will explain what gravity is and how it exists in space.
- Will explain and calculate the forces between Earth and Moon, and Earth and Sun.
- Will calculate the acceleration due to gravity.
Practice questions 1 and 3 on page 293.
Practice questions 1 and 2 on page 295.
Practice questions 1 and 2 on page 295.
Task:
Solve questions 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 from Nelson 6.1 Review on page 296.
Optional Extension:
Optional Extension:
- Solve questions 8, 11, and 13 on page 296.
Reflect:
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In this episode, we discuss the basic nature of gravity, one of the four fundamental forces in our universe.
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