1
1. How did Newton deduce the gravitational
force law
Every particle in the
universe attracts every
other particle with a force
directly proportional to the
product of their masses and
inversely proportional to
the square of the distance
between them.The direction
of the force is along the line
joining the particles.
§ 6.1 The gravitational force
2
2. Newton’s law of universal gravitation
§ 6.1 The gravitational force
12
12
21
21
?
?
2
21
21
2
21
12
r
r
mm
GF
r
r
mm
GF
?=
?=
r
r
1 The vector force
2The principle of
linear superposition
Gravitational force is always attractive force.
12
F
r
1221
FF
rr
?=
12
?
r
2112
rr =
21
?
r
§ 6.1 The gravitational force
3 The value of G
G is a fundamental
constant of nature.
Determined by
experiment(Henry
Cavendish):
2211
/kgmN1067.6 ?×≈
?
G
3
§ 6.1 The gravitational force
4Gravitational mass and inertial mass
r
r
Mm
GrF
?
)(
2
?=
r
m –gravitational mass
)()( ramrF
r
r
′
= m
′
--inertial mass
AAIA
amF =
2
r
Mm
GF
AG
A
=
2
r
GM
m
m
a
AI
AG
A
?=
Free-fall body experiment:
§ 6.1 The gravitational force
BBIB
amF =
2
0
r
Mm
GF
BG
B
=
2
r
GM
m
m
a
BI
BG
B
?=
Experimental result: a
A
=a
B
constantmeansthat ==== k
m
m
m
m
BI
BG
AI
AG
L
choose suitable unit, k=1, m
G
=m
I
4
The experimental results for proving m
G
=m
I
experimenter
Galilei
Newton
Eotvos
Dicke
Braginsky
time
1610
1680
1890-1915
1964
1971
IGI
mmm /)( ?
3
102
?
×<
3
101
?
×<
9
103
?
×<
11
101
?
×<
13
109
?
×<
§ 6.1 The gravitational force
§ 6.1 The gravitational force
5Principle of equivalence
Einstein’s thinking experiment 1:
5
Einstein’s thinking experiment 2:
Inertial force and gravitational force are equivalent.
No experiments can distinguish a physical system
uniformly accelerating in the absence of gravity and
a physical system at rest, subject to a uniform
gravitational force.
§ 6.1 The gravitational force
Experiment: A person weighs a fish on a spring
scale attached to the ceiling of an elevator, as
shown in Figure. Show that if the elevator
accelerates, the spring scale reads a weight
different from the true weight of the fish.
a
r
① If the elevator accelerates with
an acceleration a relative to an
inertial frame outside the elevator:
mamgT
mamgTF
y
+=
=?=
∑
T
r
gm
r
mgTamgTa <<>> ,0;,0
§ 6.1 The gravitational force
6
③ If the cable breaks, a= -g
② relative to the elevator
mamgT
mamgTF
y
+=
=??=
∑
0
a
r
T
r
gm
r
am
r
0=T
The fish is weightless.
§ 6.1 The gravitational force
§ 6.2 Gravitational force of a uniform sphere
on a particle
1. Shell theorem #1
A uniformly dense spherical shell attracts an
external particle as if all the mass of the shell
were concentrated at its center.
2. Shell theorem #2
A uniformly dense spherical shell exerts no
gravitational force on a particle located
anywhere inside it.
7
§ 6.2 Gravitational force of a uniform sphere
on a particle
3. Proof of the shell theorems
αcos
d
d
2
x
mm
GF
A
A
=
The axial component of the force:
)dd(d
cos
d
ddd
2
L
L
++=
=
++=
BA
BA
mmM
x
Mm
G
FFF
α
?d =M
§ 6.2 Gravitational force of a uniform sphere
on a particle
θθπρρθθπ dsin2dsin2d
2
tRtRRM =???=
x
rR
x
r
xRr
R
x
Rr
ddsin
2
cos
cos
cos
222
=
?+
=
?
=
θθ
θ
θ
α
x
x
Rr
r
mRGt
F d)1(d
2
22
2
+
?
=
ρπ
The force exerted by the circular ring dM on m:
8
§ 6.2 Gravitational force of a uniform sphere
on a particle
The total force on m due to the entire shell:
∫∫
+
?
+
?
==
Rr
Rr
x
x
Rr
r
mRGt
FF d)1(d
2
22
2
ρπ
22
)4(
r
mM
GR
r
mRGt
F ==
ρπ
Inside the shell:
0
d)1(
d
2
22
2
=
+
?
==
∫
∫
+
?
Rr
rR
x
x
Rr
r
mRGt
FF
ρπ
§ 6.2 Gravitational force of a uniform sphere
on a particle
Exercise 1: Find the gravitational force between
The small ball of mass m
1
and the thin staff of
mass m and length L.
Solution:
r
L
m
rm
i
r
mm
GF
ddd
?
d
d
2
1
==
=
λ
r
i
LddL
mm
Gi
r
r
L
mm
GFF
Ld
d
?
)
11
(
?
d
d
1
2
1
+
?===
∫∫
+
rr
i
LddL
mm
GF
?
)
11
(
1
+
?=
r
x
F
r
d
9
§ 6.2 Gravitational force of a uniform sphere
on a particle
Exercise 2: a particle of mass m is placed on the
axis of a circular ring of mass M and radius R.
Find the gravitational force exerted by the ring
on the particle located a distance from the center
of the ring.
xO
m
M
R
§ 6.2 Gravitational force of a uniform sphere
on a particle
Solution:
x
O
m
M
R
F
r
d
α
Md
αcosdd FF
x
=
2
d
d
r
Mm
GF =
2322
220
22
)(
)(
d
cosd
xR
GmMx
xR
x
xR
MGm
FF
M
x
+
=
+
+
==
∫∫
α
iFF
x
?
?=
r
F
r
d
10
Exercise 3: P240~241
Solution:
(a) A point mass m located outside the sphere;
(b) A point mass m located within the volume
enclosed by the sphere itself.
(a)
2
r
GmM
F =
(b)
r
R
GmM
r
RMrGm
F
3
2
33
)(
=
=
3
3
3
3
34
34
R
r
R
r
=
π
π
r
M
r
M
§ 6.2 Gravitational force of a uniform sphere
on a particle
R
r
F
rF ∝
2
/1 rF∝
2
R
GmM
§ 6.2 Gravitational force of a uniform sphere
on a particle
Exercise 4: A spherical hollow is made in a lead
sphere of radius R, such that its surface touches
the outside surface of the lead sphere and passes
through its center. The mass of the sphere
before hollowing was M. What is the attracting
force between a small sphere of mass m and the
hollowing sphere.
d
R
m
11
?
cc
O
§ 6.3 Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
1. Kepler’s first law
The path of a planet orbiting the sun is an ellipse
with the Sun at one focus of the ellipse; the other
focus is empty.
ε
ε
θε
ε
?
+
=
?
?
=
1
1
cos1
)1(
peri
aph
2
r
r
a
r
s
asr 2=+
a
c
≡ε
r —polar coordinate
ε --eccentricity
a—semimajor axis
peri
aph
Newton found that the elliptical paths described
by Kepler are the consequence of a central
inverse-square force law.
More generally, Newton showed that the paths
of the mass under the influence of this force had
to be conic sections.
§ 6.3 Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
12
§ 6.3 Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
2. Kepler’s second law
During equal time intervals the radius vector
from the sun to a planet sweeps out equal areas.
M
§ 6.3 Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
Central force—force that acts along the line
between two particles
0sin ==× πrFFr
r
r
0=× amr
rr
00
)
d
d
()(
d
d
)(
d
d
)(
d
d
=×+=
×+×=
×=×
amr
t
v
mrvm
t
r
vmr
t
pr
t
rr
r
rr
r
rrrr
13
§ 6.3 Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
Define orbital angular momentum:
prL
rr
r
×=
The orbital angular momentum of a particle
(or planet) under the influence of a central
force is conserved.
0)(
d
d
d
d
=×= pr
tt
L rr
r
Then
§ 6.3 Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
θd
Ad
θdr
r
r
We can prove that the conservation of the
angular momentum is equivalent to the
Kepler’s law of area.
rrArrA
rr
r
d
2
1
d)d(
2
1
d ×== θ
m
L
vr
t
r
r
t
rr
t
A
22
1
d
d
2
1
d
d
2
1
d
d
r
rr
r
r
rr
r
=×=
×=
×
=
14
§ 6.3 Kepler’s laws of planetary motion
3. Kepler’s third law
If T is the time that it takes for a planet to
make one full revolution around the sun, and
if a is half major axis of the ellipse, then
3
2
2
4
a
GM
T
π
=
M
a
m
P252~P254
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
1. The gravitational field
The existence of M sets up or establishes the
gravitational field at all points in space
whether the other mass m is presented or not.
r
r
GM
m
F
rg
?
)(
2
?==
r
r
The gravitational field can be imagined as the
force per unit mass at a given point in space. It
is the same as the acceleration due to gravity
at that location.
15
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
Gravitational force obey the principle of linear
superposition, the total gravitational field
established at some point in space by a number
of masses is the vector sum of the individual
gravitational fields at that point by each mass
acting individually.
2. Principle of linear superposition
1individual masses
Ni
N
i
i
gggg
gg
r
L
r
L
rr
rr
++++=
=
∑
21
1
g
r
2
g
r
3
g
r
g
r
g′
r
1
m 2
m
3
m
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
r
r
M
Grg
?
d
)(
2∫
?=
r
2extended mass
r
M
g
?
r
d
-Gd
2
=
r
r
?
g
r
d
Md
r
P
The influence of a mass M on another mass m
is thought of as being conveyed by the field.
The idea of action-at-a-distance take placed
by idea of field .
16
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
Example 1:
x
O
P
λ
R g
r
d
g
r
d
α
Md
2322
22
2
0
22
2
)(
2
d
)(
dcosd
xR
GxR
s
xR
x
xR
G
s
r
x
r
G
gg
R
x
+
=
+
+
=
==
∫
∫∫
λπ
λ
λ
α
π
αcosdd gg
x
=
s
r
G
r
M
Gg
d
d
d
2
2
λ
=
=
g
r
igxg
x
?
)( ?=
r
3. Gravitational field lines
A useful alternative
geometric representation
of the field.
r
r
GM
m
F
rg
?
)(
2
?==
r
r
1The direction of the gravitational field at any
point is tangent to the field line passing
through that point and in the direction
indicated by arrows on the field line.
The properties of the field lines:
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
17
2The gravitational field is strong where field
lines are close together and weak where they
are far apart. The number of lines passing
through a square meter oriented
perpendicular to the lines is proportional to
the magnitude of the gravitational field.
3Field lines are never cross. The field at any
point has a unique direction.
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
SvSv
r
r
?== )cos( θΦ
§ 16.5 Gauss’s law for electric field and its
applications
S
r
Uniform vector field
4. Gauss’ law for the the gravitational field
1the flux of a vector
18
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
The differential flux dΦ of
the gravitational field vector
through the differential
area dS is defined to be the
scalar product of with .
g
r
S
r
d
g
r Sg
v
r
dd ?=Φ
?
?
?
?
?
?=
=
=
==?=
SgSg
SgSg
Sg
SgSg
dcosd
d0cosd
02cosd
cosddd
π
π
θΦ
v
r
S
r
d
g
r
θ
Sv
r
r
dd ?=Φ
∫∫
?=?=
SareaSarea
SdSd
r
r
r
r
vv ΦΦ
1
S
2
S
Nonuniform vector field
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
∫∫
∫∫
?==
?==
SS
Sg
Sg
r
r
r
r
dd
dd
SS
ΦΦ
ΦΦ
The total flux through the area S or a closed
surface S:
Choose the outward direction as the direction
of the surface element dS for a closed surface.
Example 2: find the flux of the local gravitational
field near the surface of the earth through each of
the five surfaces of the inclined plane and the
total flux of the entire closed surface.
19
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
Solution:
For three vertical surfaces
0d
ver
=?=
∫
Sg
r
r
Φ
For the inclined surface
θθ
θθΦ
coscosd
)
?
cos
?
sin(d
?
d
incl
gSSg
jiSjgSg
S
S
?=?=
+???=?=
∫
∫∫
r
r
For the bottom surface
θcosd
)
?
d()
?
(d
btm
gSSgSg
jSjgSg
S
S
=
′
=
′
=
′
???=
′
?=Φ
∫
∫∫
r
r
x
y
θ
S
r
d
g
r
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
5. Gauss’s law for the gravitational field
1solid angle
222
cosd
?
dd
d
r
S
r
rS
r
A φ
? =
?
==
r
2 Gauss’s law
The flux of the gravitational field of M
through a closed surface
∫
?=
S
clsd
dSg
r
r
Φ
S
r
d
AS dcosd =φ
r
?
r
r
M
?d
φ
20
Because φθ coscosdd
2
r
GM
SgSg ?==?
r
r
∫∫∫
?=?=?= ?
φ
Φ d
cosd
d
2
S
clsd
GM
r
S
GMSg
r
r
GMSg πΦ 4d
S
clsd
?=?=
∫
r
r
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
S
r
d
AS dcosd =φ
r
?
r
r
M
?d
φ
S
θ
g
r
GM
S
r
GM
rSr
r
GM
Sg
SSS
π
Φ
4
d
?
d
?
d
22
?=
?=??=?=
∫∫∫
r
r
The flux through the spherical surface which
surrounded the M
The flux through the arbitrary
surface which surrounded the M
GMSg
S
πΦ 4d ?=?=
∫
r
r
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field
21
The flux through the arbitrary surface
which don’t surrounded M
0d =?=
∫
S
Sg
r
r
Φ
The flux through the arbitrary surface which
surrounded several particles
∑
∫
?=?=
N
i
Si
S
MGSg
)within(
4d πΦ
r
r
§ 6.4 The gravitational field and Gauss’s law
for the the gravitational field