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Gravity Simulation

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Title: Gravity Simulation


1
Gravity Simulation
2
Gravity
  • Gravity is the weakest of the four fundamental
    forces.
  • Gravity is responsible for the attraction of
    massive bodies.
  • Gravitational force is always attractive and acts
    along the line joining the centres of mass.
  • Gravitational force is responsible for the
    formation of planets, stars and galaxies.
  • Gravity decides the orbital paths of the planets
    and moons in our solar system.

National Schools Observatory
3
Newtons Law of Universal Gravitation
  • The gravitational force between the two masses
    m1 and m2 is described by Newtons Law of
    Universal Gravitation.
  • G is the universal gravitation constant.
  • This relationship is an example of an inverse
    square law force.
  • Forces are equal in size but in opposite
    directions.

National Schools Observatory
4
Setting up the Experiment
  • This learning scenario requires flash player 10.
  • Go to http//get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ to
    download and install this software.
  • Extract the gravitysim.zip.
  • Run gravitysim.swf.
  • To carry out the experiment you will also need a
    stopwatch.

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5
The Experiment
  • Drop the ball from a set distance and measure the
    time it takes to hit the bottom of the box.
  • Repeat your measurements several times and record
    them on the worksheet.
  • Repeat for each of the nine environments which
    have gravity.
  • Experiment with how the ball reacts in each of
    the environments by throwing the ball with the
    mouse and note how this differs from Earth.
  • Analyse the results to obtain the value of the
    acceleration due to gravity for each planet.

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6
Analysing the Results
  • Values for the release height and the time taken
    to fall can be used to calculate the acceleration
    due to gravity for each of the planets.
  • If it assumed that there is no air resistance and
    no other downward force, the acceleration due to
    gravity g is equal to a.
  • Since the ball has no initial velocity, u 0,
    the displacement, S, can be treated as the drop
    height, h.
  • (Eq.1) can then be rearranged to allow
    calculation of the acceleration due to gravity
    (Eq.2).

Eq.1
S Displacement u Initial velocity a
Acceleration t Time
Where
Eq.2
h Drop height g acceleration due to
gravity t Time
Where
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7
Discussion after Experiment
  • In terms of gravity, which of the environments
    are most like Earth and which are the most
    different?
  • Why does gravity vary on other planets?
  • Was the gravity more difficult to measure on some
    planets more than others?
  • What are the sources of error?
  • Was there more variation in your results in
    certain environments?

National Schools Observatory
8
Questions, Exercises and Tasks
  • Use the internet to find the difference in the
    diameter of Uranus and Earth? Given the large
    difference in diameter, why is the gravity
    relatively similar?
  • If a man weighs 80Kg on Earth, how much will he
    weigh on the other planets in the Solar System?
  • Look up the other equations of motion, what other
    systems could they be applied to?
  • Investigate some of the ways that the value of
    the gravitational constant, G, can be
    experimentally determined.

National Schools Observatory
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