Year 12 Physics

Module 5 | Advanced mechanics

Content 3: Motion in gravitational fields

Lesson 1 | Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation

• apply qualitatively and quantitatively Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation to:
  – determine the force of gravity between two objects ($\vec{F} = -\frac{GMm}{\vec{r}^{2}}$)
  – investigate the factors that affect the gravitational field strength ($\vec{g} = \frac{GMm}{\vec{r}^{2}}$)
  – predict the gravitational field strength at any point in a gravitational field, including at the surface of a planet (ACSPH094, ACSPH095, ACSPH097)

Lesson 2 | Investigating the orbital motion of planets and satellites

• investigate the orbital motion of planets and artificial satellites when applying the relationships between the following quantities:
  – gravitational force
  – centripetal force
  – centripetal acceleration
  – mass
  – orbital radius
  – orbital velocity
  – orbital period

Lesson 3 | The orbital properties of planets and satellites

• predict quantitatively the orbital properties of planets and satellites in a variety of situations, including near the Earth and geostationary orbits, and relate these to their uses (ACSPH101)

Lesson 4 | Kepler's laws of Planetary Motion

• investigate the relationship of Kepler’s laws of Planetary Motion to the forces acting on, and the total energy of, planets in circular and non-circular orbits using: (ACSPH101)
  – $v_{0} = \frac{2\pi r}{T}$
  – $\frac{r^{3}}{T^{2}} = \frac{GM}{4\pi ^{2}}$

Lesson 5 | Gravitational force and gravitational potential in radial gravitational fields

• derive quantitatively and apply the concepts of gravitational force and gravitational potential energy in radial gravitational fields to a variety of situations, including but not limited to:
  – the concept of escape velocity ($v_{esc} = \sqrt{\frac{2GM}{r}}$)
  – total potential energy of a planet or satellite in its orbit ($U = -\frac{GMm}{r}$)

Lesson 6 | Energy in orbits

• derive quantitatively and apply the concepts of gravitational force and gravitational potential energy in radial gravitational fields to a variety of situations, including but not limited to:
  – total energy of a planet or satellite in its orbit ($E = -\frac{GMm}{2r}$)
  – energy changes that occur when satellites move between orbits (ACSPH096)
  – Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion (ACSPH101)

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