GRAVITATION

NEET Syllabus:
Kepler’s laws of planetary motion. The universal law of gravitation. Acceleration due to
gravity and its variation with altitude and depth.
Gravitational potential energy; gravitational potential. Escape velocity, orbital velocity of a
satellite. Geostationary satellites.
(A) Newton’s universal law of gravitation:
Force of attraction between any two point masses is directly proportional to the product
of the two masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
m1m 2
F=G G = Universal gravitational constant = [M−1 L3T−2]
r²
G = 6.67 × 10−11 Nm²/kg²
1. Valid only for point mass.
2. Force is always attractive.
3. Force is always along line joining point masses.
4. Force is independent of medium.
5. Force obeys superposition principle.
6. Force between two bodies is not affected by the presence of other objects.
7. Force is conservative.

m1m 2
→ Vector Form: F = G r
r³

Weight: Force with which body is attracted by the earth is called weight.
 Mm 
W =  mg = G 2 
 R 

(B) Acceleration due to gravity (g):

F
F = mg  g = Vector Quantity Units: m/s²
m

On the surface of earth GM Here M = Mass of the earth

: g=
(At Sea Level) R² R = Radius of earth

Variation of g:
GM g
1. Due to altitude g h = =
( R + h ) ² [1 + (h / R)]²

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 GM  d   d
2. Due to depth g d = 1 −  = g 1 − 
R²  R   R
3. Due to rotation: gr = g − Rω² cos²θ, here θ = latitude
4. Due to non-spherical shape of earth: at poles radius < radius at equator
 g increases from equator to pole.

(C) Gravitational field (E̅):

F
E=
m
GM
E= Vector Quantity Units: m/s²
r²

Shell Theorem 1:
A uniformly dense spherical shell attracts an external particle as if all the shell were
concentrated at the centre.

Shell Theorem 2:
A uniformly dense spherical shell exerts no gravitational force on a particle located
anywhere inside it.

1. Field due to shell of radius R and mass M: E

GM
E at a point outside shell (r ≥ R) : E =
r²
E at a point inside shell (r < R) : E = 0 R r

2. Field due to solid sphere of radius R and mass M:

E
GM
E at a point outside sphere (r ≥ R) : E =
r²
GM
E at a point inside sphere (r < R) : E = r R r
R³

(D) Gravitational Potential (V):

Potential due to point mass:

GM
V=− V = 0 at r = ∞, Scalar Quantity.
r

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1. Gravitational potential due to shell of radius R and mass M: V
GM
V at a point outside shell (r ≥ R) : V = −
r
GM
V at a point inside shell (r < R) : V = −
R
R r

2. Gravitational potential due to solid sphere of radius R and mass M:

GM
V at a point outside sphere (r ≥ R) : V = −
r
GM
V at a point inside sphere (r < R) : V = − (3R² − r²)
2R³

(E) Gravitational Potential Energy (U):

Gm1m 2
U=− U = 0 at r = ∞, Scalar Quantity.
r
Escape Speed: Minimum speed required to escape gravitational field of that plane is called
escape speed. It is independent of direction of projection.
2GM
ve = For Earth ve =11.2 km/s.
R
Self Energy:
3GM²
Gravitational self energy of a solid sphere: U = −
5R
GM²
Gravitational self energy of a shell: U = −
2R

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(F) Satellites: (5) Parabola (6)Hyper bola

GM
(a) Orbital Velocity: vo =
r (4) Ellipse
4²
(b) Time period: T² = r³
GM (2) Ellipse
(3) Circle
1 GMm
(c) Kinetic Energy: K = mvo2 =
2 2r
GMm
(d) Potential Energy: U = −
r
Total Energy GMm
(e) :E = K+U = −
(Binding Energy) 2r
(1) v = 0 satellite will move in straight line path and
hit the planet
(2) v < vo satellite will revolve in elliptical orbit.
(3) v = vo satellite will move in the circular orbit.
(4) vo < v < ve satellite will revolve in elliptical orbit.
(5) v = ve satellite will escape in parabolic path.
(6) ve < v satellite will escape in hyperbolic path.

→ If satellite is having comparable mass with respect to planet then they both move around their
common centre of mass.

→ Geo stationary satellite remains at rest with respect to earth, it will be launched on equatorial
plane.

→ Geo stationary orbit is also called parking orbit ≈ 42,000 km.

→ Satellite moves over poles of earth is called polar satellite.

Kepler’s Laws of planetary motion:

(1) The Law of Orbits: All planets revolve around sun in an elliptical orbit having the sun at
one focus.
(2) The Law of Areas: A line joining any planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal
intervals of time. This law is consequence of law of conservation of angular momentum.
(3) The Law of Periods: The square of the period of any planet about the Sun is proportional
to the cube of the planet’s mean distance from the Sun.

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Relationship between Fundamental concepts of Gravity:

F
Force (F̅) E= Field (E̅)
m
m1m 2 m
F=G E=G
r² r²
F = mE

U = −  F.dr dU V = −  E.dr
dV
F=− E=−
dr dr

U
V=
Energy (U) m Potential (V)
mm m
U = −G 1 2 V = −G
r U = mV r

*Gauss Law in Gravitation:

 E.ds = 4G m in

1. We can use this law at any place.

2. If E is variable then we should know E as a function of ds .
3. Or we can choose surface such that E is constant or zero.
4. If above condition is not possible then choose surface which is parallel to E, then E.ds will
be zero.

Gravitational Field Lines

Point Mass Two point masses

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 Uniform Field

Equi-Potential Surfaces:
Locus of points which are at same potential is called as equi-potential surfaces.

1. Gravitational field lines are always perpendicular to equi-potential surfaces.

2. Two equi-potential surfaces never intersect.

3. Work done in moving mass from one point to another point on equi-potential surface is zero.

Point Mass Two point masses

Uniform Field

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Gravitational Field and Potential

Gravitational Field Gravitational Potential

Gm Gm
Particle E= V=−
r² r

Gm
Gm V=− rR
E= rR r
Shell of radius R r² Gm
=0 r<R =− r<R
R

Gm Gm
E= rR V=− rR
r² r
Solid sphere of radius R
Gm Gm
= r r≤R =− (3R² − r²)
R³ 2R³

Infinite long wire of linear mass 2G r 

E= V = 2G n  2 
density r  r1 

Infinitely large plane sheet of Areal

E = 2πGσ ΔV = 2πGσΔx
mass density σ

Along the axis of a circular ring of Gmx Gm

radius R at a distance x from E= V=−
(R² + x²)3/ 2 R² + x²
centre

G
E⊥ = ( sin 1 + sin 2 )
Finite long wire of linear mass r
density λ G
E|| = ( cos 1 − cos 2 )
r

At the centre of semi-circular ring of 2GM Gm

E= V=−
mass M R² R

Along the axis of a circular disc of  x² 

radius R at a distance x from E = 2²G 1− 
centre  ( x² + R² ) 
__________

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