The Value of g
In the previous topic, an equation was given for determining the force of gravity (Fgrav) with which an object of mass m was attracted to the earth Fgrav = m*g Now in this unit,…
Cavendish and the Value of G
Isaac Newton's law of universal gravitation proposed that the gravitational attraction between any two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square…
Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
Isaac Newton compared the acceleration of the moon to the acceleration of objects on earth. Believing that gravitational forces were responsible for each, Newton was able to draw an important…
The Apple, the Moon, and the Inverse Square Law
In the early 1600's, German mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler mathematically analyzed known astronomical data in order to develop three laws to describe the motion of planets about the sun. Kepler's three…
Gravity is More Than a Name
Universal Gravitation Nearly every child knows of the word gravity. Gravity is the name associated with the mishaps of the milk spilled from the breakfast table to the kitchen floor and the…
Athletics
Circular motion is common to almost all sporting events. Whether it is sports car racing or track and field, baseball running or ice-skating, the motion of objects in circles is…
Roller Coasters and Amusement Park Physics
People are wild about amusement parks. Each day, we flock by the millions to the nearest park, paying a sizable hunk of money to wait in long lines for a…
Newton’s Second Law – Revisited
Applications of Circular Motion Newton's second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting upon the object and inversely proportional to the mass…
Mathematics of Circular Motion
There are three mathematical quantities that will be of primary interest to us as we analyze the motion of objects in circles. These three quantities are speed, acceleration and force. The speed…
The Forbidden F-Word
When the subject of circular motion is discussed, it is not uncommon to hear mention of the word centrifugal. Centrifugal, not to be confused with centripetal, means away from the center or outward. The use…
