5 | Mechanics and Heat 1

UNIT 5. CIRCULAR MOTION; GRAVITATION

5.0 Intended Learning Outcome:

a. Solve the period, frequency, linear velocity, angular velocity and central
acceleration in kinematics of uniform circular motion;
b. Solve problems of horizontal circle and vertical circle;
c. Determine the gravitational forces between two bodies in the universe;
d. Solve problems in Kepler’s third law.

5.1 Introduction

An object moves in a straight line if the net force on it acts in the direction of
motion, or is zero. If the net force acts at an angle to the direction of motion at any
moment, then the object moves in a curved path. An example of the latter is projectile
motion, which we have already discussed in module 4. Another important case is that
of an object moving in a circle, such as a ball at the end of a string revolving around
one’s head or the nearly circular motion of the Moon about the Earth.
In this module, we study the circular motion of an object, and how Newton’s
law of motion apply to it. We will also discuss how Newton conceived of another
great law by applying the concepts of circular motion to the motion of the Moon and
the planets. This new law is the law of universal gravitation, which was the capstone
of Newton’s analysis of the physical world. Indeed, Newtonian mechanics, with its
three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation, was accepted for centuries
(until the early 1900s) as the way the universal works.

5.2 Discussion and Assessment

5.2.1 KINEMATICS OF UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION

Earlier we said that an object moving along a straight path shows a rectilinear or
translatory motion. But when an object follows a curved path, such a motion is
curvilinear or circular. A special case is rotational motion; that is, the motion of a body
rotating about a point. Let us take a stone whirled along the horizontal at the end of
the string. Suppose it is whirled and makes 10 complete revolutions in 5 seconds, its
curvilinear speed or frequency is 2 revolutions per second. Frequency, f, is the number
of complete revolutions per unit of time.

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𝒏𝒐. 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔
f= 𝒏𝒐. 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒔
10 𝑟𝑒𝑣
= 5𝑠
= 2 r/s or 2 rps

Thus, the time for one complete revolution is ½ second. The period of the
motion is the time for one complete revolution, designated by the letter T.

𝒏𝒐. 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒔
T = 𝒏𝒐. 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔
5𝑠
= 10 𝑟𝑒𝑣
1
= 2 s/rev
Frequency and period are closely related quantities. One is equal to the reciprocal of
the other, as
𝟏
T=𝒇
Since the stone follows a circular path and its speed is constant, its motion is an
example of uniform circular motion. When a stone makes one complete turn along its
circular path of a certain radius, r, the distance it travels is equal to the circumference
of the circle: d = 2πr. And if the time it takes for one complete trip is equal to the
period of the motion, then its speed is
𝒅
v=
𝒕
𝟐𝛑𝐫
v=
𝒕
Example 1. If the radius of the circular path of a stone is 0.5 m and its period is 0.5 s,
what is its constant speed?
Solution:
𝟐𝛑𝐫
v= 𝒕
2 (3.1416)(0.5 𝑚)
v= 0.5 𝑠
v = 6.28 m/s

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 5 | Mechanics and Heat 3

In the above example, the stone travels 6.28 m in 1 second. This is the linear
velocity of the object. However, we can also compute its angular velocity. If we can
measure the angle through which the object turns and also the time elapsed,

𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉

angular velocity = 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒑𝒔𝒆𝒅
Ө
ω= 𝒕

We use the radian as the unit of angle. One radian is the angle subtended by
the arc of a circle whose length is equal to the radius of the same circle.

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1 radian = 57.3𝑜
Diagram showing the radian as a unit of angle
𝟐𝛑 radians = 𝟑𝟔𝟎𝒐
𝟑𝟔𝟎𝒐
1 radian = 𝟐(𝟑.𝟏𝟒𝟏𝟔)
= 𝟓𝟕. 𝟑𝒐
Example 2. What is the angular velocity of a stone which makes 10 revolutions in 5
seconds? The radius of the circular path is 0.5 m. Find the angle turned
through.
Solution:
Ө = 2π x 10 rev.
= 2(3.1416) (10)
= 62.8 radians
Therefore, angular velocity
Ө
ω= 𝑡
62.8 𝑟𝑎𝑑
= 5𝑠
= 12.56 rad/s
The stone turns 12.56 radians in 1 second. This velocity can be changed to linear
velocity:
v=rω
= (0.5 m) (12.56 rad/s)

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= 6.28 m/s
Radians can be cancelled since it is the ratio between two lengths—the arc and the
radius.
The magnitude of the velocity remains constant in this case, but the direction
of the velocity is continuously changing as the object moves around the circle. Since
acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity, a change in direction of
velocity constitutes an acceleration just as does a change in magnitude of velocity.
Thus, an object experiencing uniform circular motion is continuously accelerating.
Acceleration is defined
𝑽 −𝑽 ∆𝒗
a = 𝟐∆𝒕 𝟏 = ∆𝒕

This acceleration is called centripetal acceleration or radial acceleration (since it is

directed along the radius, towards the center of the circle): henceforth, we denote it
by 𝒂𝒄 .
𝒗𝟐
𝒂𝒄 = 𝒓

Example 3. A 150 g ball at the end of a string is revolving uniformly in a horizontal

circle of radius 0.60 m as shown. The ball makes exactly 2.00 revolutions
in a second. What is its centripetal acceleration?

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𝟐𝛑𝐫
v= 𝒕
2 (3.1416)( 0.60 𝑚)
v= = 7.54 m/s
0.50 𝑠
The centripetal acceleration is
𝒗𝟐
𝒂𝒄 =
𝒓
(7.54 𝑚/𝑠)2
𝑎𝑐 = = 94.8 m/𝑠 2
0.60 𝑚

Example 4. The Moon’s nearly circular orbit about the Earth has a radius of about
384,000 km and a period T of 27.3 days. Determine the acceleration of
the moon toward the earth.
Solution:

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𝟐𝛑𝐫
v= 𝒕
2 (3.1416)( 384,000 𝑚)
v = (27.3 𝑑𝑎𝑦) (24 ℎ/𝑑𝑎𝑦)(3600 𝑠/ℎ) = 1.02 x 102 m/s
Therefore,
𝒗𝟐
𝒂𝒄 = 𝒓
( 1.02 x 102𝑚/𝑠)2
𝑎𝑐 = = 0.00272 m/𝑠 2
384,000 𝑚

or about 2.78 x 10−4 g, where g = 9.80 m/s2 is the acceleration of gravity at the Earth’s
surface.

EXERCISE 1

Answer the following problems:

1. The minute hand of a clock is 10 cm long. (a) What is its period? (b) What
is the linear speed of its tip? (c) What is the central acceleration?
2. A mass of 0.2 kg is whirled at 12 revolutions in 2 sec in a horizontal circle at the
end of a string 0.8 m long. Find its (a) angular velocity, (b) linear velocity,
(c) central acceleration?

5.2.2 DYNAMICS OF UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION

According to Newton’s second law (F = ma), an object that is accelerating must
have a net force acting on it. An object moving in a circle, such as a ball on the end of
a string, must therefore have a force applied to it to keep it moving in that circle. That
is, a force is necessary to give it centripetal acceleration. The magnitude of the
required force can be calculated using Newton’s second law, ∑𝑭𝒄 = ma, where a is the
𝒗𝟐
centripetal acceleration, 𝒂𝒄 = , and ∑F is the total (or net) force in the radial
𝒓
direction.
𝒎𝒗𝟐
∑𝑭𝒄 = m𝒂𝒄 =
𝒓

Example 1. A mass of 0.5 kg is whirled in a horizontal circle of radius 2 m. If it makes

5 revolutions in 5 seconds, find its
a. constant speed
b. central acceleration
c. central force

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 5 | Mechanics and Heat 6

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Its constant speed is
𝟐𝛑𝐫
v= 𝒕
2 (3.1416)( 2 𝑚)
v= = 12.56 m/s
1𝑠

Its central acceleration is

𝒗𝟐
𝒂𝒄 = 𝒓
(12.56 𝑚/𝑠)2
𝑎𝑐 = = 78.88 m/𝑠 2
2𝑚
Accordingly, central force is
𝒎𝒗𝟐
𝑭𝒄 = 𝒓
(0.50 𝑘𝑔) (12.56 𝑚/𝑠)2
𝐹𝑐 = 2𝑚
𝐹𝑐 = 39.44 N

Example 2. A ball of mass 150 g on the end of a 1.10 m long cord (ignorable mass) is
swung in a vertical circle. Determine: (a) the minimum speed the ball
must have at the top of its arc so that it continues moving in a circle; (b)
the tension in the cord at the bottom of the arc if the ball is moving at
twice the speed.
Solution:

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(a) at the top, two forces can act on the ball; 𝐹𝑔 = mg, its weight; and T, the tension
in the cord. Both act downward, and both act to give the ball its centripetal
acceleration in general. Thus, we can write Newton’s second law as
∑𝑭 = ma

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T + 𝐹𝑔 = ma
T + mg = ma
𝑣2
T + mg = m
𝑟
The cord will remain taut as long as there is tension in it; but if the tension
disappears (because v is too small) the cord can go limp, and the ball will fall
out of its circular path. Thus, the minimum speed occurs right at T = 0, for
which we have
𝑣2
mg = m 𝑟
gr = 𝑣 2
v = √𝑔𝑟
v = √(9.80 𝑚/𝑠 2 )(1.10 𝑚)
v = 3.28 m/s

(b) at the bottom of the circle the tension in the cord, T acts upward whereas the
force of gravity, mg, acts downward. So, Newton’s second law gives us

∑𝑭 = ma
T - 𝐹𝑔 = ma
T - mg = ma
𝑣2
T - mg = m 𝑟
𝑣2
T = mg + m 𝑟
In this part we are asked to find the tension, T, and we are given the speed: it is
twice what we found which is 2 (3.28 m/s) = 6.56 m/s.

(6.56 𝑚/𝑠)2
T = (0.150 kg) (9.80 m/𝑠 2 ) + (0.150 kg) 1.10 𝑚
T = 7.34 N

Example 3. Find the constant force required by a car (mass = 3,000 kg) that rounds a
curve of radius 35 m at a speed of 8 m/s.
Solution:
𝒎𝒗𝟐
𝑭𝒄 = 𝒓
(3,000 𝑘𝑔) (8 𝑚/𝑠)2
= 35 𝑚
= 5,486 N
This central force is provided by the road because of the friction. Highway curves are
banked to prevent speeding vehicles from skidding. The outer edge of the road is
made higher than the inner edge.

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 5 | Mechanics and Heat 8

Curves along highways are banked

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If the linear velocity of a mass in uniform circular motion is equal to the radius of the
path times angular velocity,
v = r ω,

then in terms of angular velocity, central acceleration

𝒂𝒄 = r𝛚𝟐

therefore, in terms of angular quantities, the central force

𝑭𝒄 = m r𝛚𝟐

Example 4. A mass of 2 kg is moving in a horizontal circle of 1 m radius with an

angular velocity of 3 rad/s. What is the required central force?
Solution:

𝑭𝒄 = m r𝛚𝟐
= (2 kg) (1 m) (3 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠)2
= 18 N
While the central force is the action force, there must be a reaction force. This is in
accordance with Newton’s third law. This reaction force is called centrifugal tendency.
This is equal in magnitude to the central force but opposite in direction. As the stone
at one end of the string is whirled, it pulls on the string away from the center. This is
also why the earth is flattened at the poles and bulges at the equator by about 21 km.

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EXERCISE 2

Answer the following problems:

1. What is the central force needed to keep a 3-kg mass in a circle of radius 0.5 m
at a speed of 8 m/s?
2. A ball on the end of a string is cleverly revolved at a uniform rate in a vertical
circle of radius 75.0 cm. If its speed is 4.05 m/s and its mass is 0.300 kg,
calculate the tension in the string when the ball is (a) at the top of its path, and
(b) at the bottom of its path.

5.2.3 NEWTON’S LAW OF UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION

Newton set about determining the magnitude of the gravitational effect that
the Earth exerts on the Moon as compared to the gravitational effect on objects at the
Earth’s surface. At the surface of the Earth, the force of gravity accelerates objects at
9.80 m/𝑠 2 . But what is the centripetal acceleration of the Moon? Since the Moon
moves with nearly uniform circular motion, the acceleration can be calculated from
𝒂𝒄 = 𝒗𝟐 /𝒓; we already performed this calculation and found 𝒂𝒄 = 0.00272 m/𝒔𝟐 . In
terms of the acceleration of gravity at the Earth’s surface, g, this is equivalent to

𝟏
𝒂𝒄 = 𝟑𝟔𝟎𝟎 𝒈

1
That is, the acceleration of the Moon toward the Earth is about 3600 as great as the
acceleration of objects at the Earth’s surface. Now the Moon is 384,000 km from the
Earth, which is about 60 times the Earth’s radius of 6,380 km. That is, the Moon is 60
times farther from the Earth’s center than are objects at the Earth’s surface. But 60 x
60 = 3600. Again that number 3600! Newton concluded that the gravitational force
exerted by the Earth on any object decreases with the square of its distance, r, from the
Earth’s center:
𝟏
force of gravity ∝
𝒓𝟐

1 1
The Moon, being 60 Earth radii away, feels a gravitational force only 602 = 3600 times
as strong as it would if it were at the Earth’s surface. Any object placed 384,000 km
from the Earth’s gravity as the Moon experiences: 0.00272 m/𝑠 2 .
Newton realized that the force of gravity on an object depends not only on
distance but also on the objects mass. In fact, it is directly proportional to its mass, as
we have seen. According to Newton’s third law, when the Earth exerts its
gravitational force on any body, such as the Moon, that other body exerts an equal

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and opposite force on the Earth. Because of this symmetry, Newton reasoned, the
magnitude of the force of gravity must be proportional to both masses. Thus

𝒎 𝒎
F ∝ 𝑬𝒓𝟐 𝑩
where 𝒎𝑬 is the mass of the Earth, 𝒎𝑩 is the mass of the other body, and r the distance
from the Earth’s center to the center of the other body.
Newton went a step further in his analysis of gravity. In his examination of the
orbits of the planets, he concluded that the force required to hold the different planets
in their orbits around the Sun seems to diminish as the inverse square as their distance
from the Sun. This led him to believe that it is also the gravitational force that acts
between the Sun and each of the planets to keep them in their orbits. And if gravity
acts between these objects, why not between all objects? Thus, he proposed his
famous law of universal gravitation, which we can state as follows:

Every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a force that is
proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the
square of the distance between them. This force acts along the line joining the
two particles.

The magnitude of the gravitational force can be written as

𝒎𝟏 𝒎𝟐
F=G 𝒓𝟐

where 𝒎𝟏 and 𝒎𝟐 are the masses of the two particles, r is the distance between them,
and G = 6.67 x 𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟏 𝐍. 𝐦𝟐 /𝐤𝐠𝟐 is the universal constant which must be measured
experimentally and has the same numerical value for all objects.

Example 1. What is the force of gravity acting on a 2000 kg spacecraft when it orbits
two Earth radii from the Earth’s center (that is 6,380 km above the
Earth’s surface)? The mass of the Earth is 𝑚𝐸 = 5.98 x 1024 kg
Solution:
𝒎 𝟏 𝒎𝟐
F=G 𝒓𝟐
(2000 𝑘𝑔)(5.98 𝑥 1024 𝑘𝑔)
F = (6.67 x 10−11 N. m2 /kg 2 ) (12.76 𝑥 106 𝑚)2
F = 4,900 N

We can reach this result in another way, avoiding plugging in all these numbers, since
we are given the distance as twice the Earth’s radius. Because the force of gravity
1 1
decreases as the square of the distance (and 22 = 4), the force of gravity on the
spacecraft will be only one-fourth its weight at the surface of the Earth. On Earth its
weight is mg = (2000 kg) (9.80 m/𝑠 2 ) = 19,600 N. Thus, when it is in orbit at a height
1
of one Earth radius, the force of gravity is 4 as much or 4,900 N.

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Example 2. Find the net force on Moon (𝑚𝑀 = 7.35 x 1022 kg) due to the gravitational
attraction of both the Earth (𝑚𝐸 = 5.98 x 1024 kg) and the Sun (𝑚𝑆 = 1.99
x 1030 kg), assuming they are at right angles to each other.

Solution: We use Newton’s law of universal gravitation. The earth is 3.84 x 105 𝑘𝑚 =
3.84 x 108 m from the Moon, so 𝐹𝑀𝐸 :(the force on the Moon due to the
Earth) is

Moon 𝐹𝑀𝐸 Earth

F
𝐹𝑀𝑆 𝐹𝑀𝑆 Ө

Sun 𝐹𝑀𝐸

(7.35 x 1022 𝑘𝑔)(5.98 𝑥 1024 𝑘𝑔)

𝐹𝑀𝐸 = (6.67 x 10−11 N. m2 /kg 2 ) (3.84 𝑥 108 𝑚)2
20
𝐹𝑀𝐸 = 1.99 x 10 N

The Sun is 1.50 x 108 km from the Earth, so 𝐹𝑀𝑆 (the force on the Moon due to the Sun)
is

(7.35 x 1022 𝑘𝑔)(1.99 𝑥 1030 𝑘𝑔)

𝐹𝑀𝑆 = (6.67 x 10−11 N. m2 /kg 2 ) (1.50 𝑥 1011 𝑚)2
20
𝐹𝑀𝑆 = 4.34 x 10 N

Since the two forces act at right angles in the case we are considering, the total force is

F = √(1.99)2 + (4.34)2 x 1020 N

F = 4.77 x 1020 N

Which acts at an angle

𝐹 1.99
tan Ө = 𝐹𝑀𝐸 =
𝑀𝑆 4.34
Ө = 0.4585 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
Ө = 24.6𝑜

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EXERCISE 3

Answer the following problems:

1. The weight of an object on earth is 20 N. What is the weight on

(a) on another planet whose diameter is twice that of the earth, but whose mass
is the same as that of the earth?

5.2.4 KEPLER’S LAWS OF NEWTON’S SYNTHESIS

More than a half century before Newton proposed his three laws of motion and
his law of universal gravitation, the German astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630)
had written a number of astronomical works in which we can find a detailed
description of the motion of the planets about the Sun. Kepler’s work resulted in part
from the many years he spent examining data collected by Tycho Brahe (1546-1601)
on the positions of the planets in their motion through the heavens. Among Kepler’s
writing were three findings that we now refer to as Kepler’s laws of planetary
motion. These are summarized as follows, with additional explanation

Kepler’s first law: The path of each planet about the Sun is an ellipse with
the sun at one focus.

Kepler’s second law: Each planet moves so that an imaginary line drawn
from the Sun to the planet sweeps out equal areas in equal periods of time.

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Kepler’s third law: The ratio of the squares of the periods of any two
planets revolving about the Sun is equal to the ratio of the cubes of their mean
distances from the Sun. That is, if 𝑇1 and 𝑇2 represent the periods (the time
needed for one revolution about the Sun) for any two planets, and 𝑟1 and 𝑟2
represent their average distances from the Sun, then
𝑻 𝟐 𝒓 𝟑
(𝑻𝟏 ) =(𝒓𝟏 )
𝟐 𝟐

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Kepler’s third law is the easiest to derive, and we do it here for the special case of a
circular orbit. (Most of the planetary orbits are fairly close to a circle, which is a special
case of an ellipse). First, we write down Newton’s second law of motion, F = ma.
Then for F we substitute the law of universal gravitation, and for a the centripetal
acceleration, 𝑣 2⁄𝑟:

F = ma
𝑚1 𝑀𝑆 𝑣2
G = 𝑚1 𝑟1
𝑟12 1

Here 𝑚1 is the mass of a particular planet, 𝑟1 its mean distance from the Sun, and 𝑣1
its average speed in orbit; 𝑀𝑆 is the mass of the Sun, since it is the gravitational
attraction of the Sun that keeps each planet in its orbit. Now the period 𝑇1 of the planet
is the time required for one complete orbit, a distance equal to 2π𝑟1 , the circumference
of a circle; thus,
𝟐𝛑𝒓
𝒗𝟏 = 𝑻 𝟏
𝟏

We substitute this formula for 𝑣1 into the equation above:

𝒎𝟏 𝑴𝑺 𝟒𝝅𝟐 𝒓𝟏
G = 𝒎𝟏
𝒓𝟐𝟏 𝑻𝟐𝟏
We rearrange this to get
𝑻𝟐𝟏 𝟒𝝅𝟐
= 𝑮𝑴
𝒓𝟑𝟏 𝑺

We derived this for planet 1 (say, Mars). The same derivation would apply for a
second planet (say, Saturn);
𝑇22 4𝜋2
= 𝐺𝑀
𝑟23 𝑆
where 𝑇2 and 𝑟2 are the period and orbit radius, respectively, for the second planet.
Since the right sides of the two previous equations are equal, we have 𝑇12 ⁄𝑟13 = 𝑇22 ⁄𝑟23
or, rearranging,
𝑻 𝟐 𝒓 𝟑
(𝑻𝟏 ) =(𝒓𝟏 )
𝟐 𝟐
which is Kepler’s third law.

Planetary Data Applied to Kepler’s Third Law

Mean Distance Period, T 𝒓𝟑 /𝑻𝟐
from Sun, r (Earth years) (𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝒌𝒎𝟑/𝒚𝒓𝟐 )
Planet (𝟏𝟎𝟔 ) km
Mercury 57.9 0.241 3.34
Venus 108.2 0.615 3.35
Earth 149.6 1.0 3.35
Mars 227.9 1.88 3.35
Jupiter 778.3 11.86 3.35
Saturn 1427 29.5 3.34

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Uranus 2870 84.0 3.35

Neptune 4497 165 3.34
Pluto 5900 248 3.33

Example 1. Mar’s period (its “year”) was first noted by Kepler to be about 684 days
(Earth days), which is (684 d/365 d) = 1.87 yr. Determine the distance
of Mars from the Sun using the Earth as a reference.

Solution: The period of the Earth is 𝑇1 = 1 yr, and the distance of Earth from the Sun
is 𝑟𝐸𝑆 = 1.50 x 1011 m. From Kepler’s third law

𝑟𝑀𝑆 𝑇 2⁄ 3
= ( 𝑇𝑀 )
𝑟𝐸𝑆 𝐸

1.87 𝑦𝑟 2⁄3
=( )
1 𝑦𝑟
= 1.52
So, Mars is 1.52 the Earth’s distance from the Sun,
or 1.52 (1.50 x 1011 m) = 2.28 x 1011 m.

Example 2. Determine the mass of the Sun given the Earth’s distance from the Sun as
𝑟𝐸𝑆 = 1.50 x 1011 m.

𝑇2 4𝜋2
Solution: We can use the formula 𝑟23 = 𝐺𝑀 and solve for 𝑀𝑆
2 𝑆

𝟒𝝅𝟐 𝒓𝟑𝑬𝑺
𝑴𝑺 = 𝑮𝑻𝟐𝑬

4𝜋2 ((1.50 x 1011 m)3

𝑀𝑆 = (6.67 𝑥 1011 𝑁.𝑚2 /𝑘𝑔2 )(3.16 𝑥 107 𝑠)2

𝑀𝑆 = 2.0 x 1030 𝑘𝑔
1
where we used the fact that 𝑇𝐸 = 1 yr = 365 4 d ( 24 h/d) (3600 s/h) = 3.16 x 107 s.

𝑇12 4𝜋2 𝑇 2 𝑟 3
The derivation of = 𝐺𝑀 and (𝑇1 ) = (𝑟1 ) (Kepler’s third law) are general enough
𝑟13 𝑆 2 2
to be applied to other systems. For example, we could determine the mass of the Earth from the
𝑇12 4𝜋2
= 𝐺𝑀 using the period of the Moon about the Earth and the Moon’s distance from the Earth,
𝑟13 𝑆
or the mass of Jupiter from the period and distance of one of its moons (this is indeed how
masses are determined; see the Problem).

Example 3. A geosynchronous satellite of the Earth is one of that stays above the same
point on the equator of the Earth. Estimate the height above the Earth
surface needed for such a satellite.

C. M. D. Hamo-ay
 5 | Mechanics and Heat 15

Solution: The satellite and the Moon both orbit the Earth, so we apply Kepler’s third law,
𝑇 2 𝑟 3
(𝑇1 ) = (𝑟1) . The Moon’s period is about 𝑇𝑀 = 27 d and its distance from the
2 2
earth about 𝑟𝑀𝐸 = 380,000 km. The period of the satellite needs to be 𝑇𝑆𝑎𝑡 = 1
d so that it stays above the same place on the Earth, Hence,
𝑇 2 𝑟 3
( 𝑇𝑆𝑎𝑡 ) = ( 𝑟𝑆𝑎𝑡 )
𝑀 𝑀
2
𝑇 3
𝑟𝑆𝑎𝑡 = 𝑟𝑀𝐸 ( 𝑇𝑆𝑎𝑡 )
𝑀
2
1𝑑 3
𝑟𝑆𝑎𝑡 = 𝑟𝑀𝐸 (27 𝑑)

1 2
𝑟𝑆𝑎𝑡 = 𝑟𝑀𝐸 (3 )
1
𝑟𝑆𝑎𝑡 = 𝑟𝑀𝐸 (9)
𝑟𝑀𝐸
𝑟𝑆𝑎𝑡 = 9

(How nice the Moon’s period turns out to be a perfect cube). A geosynchronous
satellite must be 1/9 the distance to the Moon, which is 42,000 km from the center of
the Earth or 36,000 km above the Earth’s surface. This is about 6 Earth’s radii high.

𝑇 2 𝑟 3
Note: Be careful in applying the formula of the Kepler’s third law (𝑇1 ) = (𝑟1 ) ; the two bodies
2 2
being compared must be orbiting the same central mass. (Don’t, for example, use it to compare
the Moon’s orbit around the Earth to Venus’s about the Sun.)
aa

EXERCISE 4

Answer the following problems:

1. The mean distance between the Earth and the Sun is 1.5 x 1011 m. The mean
distance between the Sun and Venus is 108.2 x 106 km. What is the period of
Venus around the Sun in Earth-Day?
2. It takes Mars 686 days to orbit the Sun. If the Earth-Sun distance is 1.5 x 1011 m,
what is the mean distance between Mars and the Sun?

C. M. D. Hamo-ay
 5 | Mechanics and Heat 16

5.3 References

• Bantilan, M.M., & Montaña, R. A. (2009). College physics. Manila: Rex Book
Store, Inc.
• Ferrer, A. V. & De la Peña, J. D. (1978). The basics of physics. Manila: Advil
Publishing, Inc.
• Kells, L.M., Kern, W.F. & Bland, J. R. (1978). Plane and spherical trigonometry.
New York: McGraw-Hill Company, Inc.
• Kirkpatrick, L.O., & Francis, G.E. (2010). Physics: Concepts and practice.
Singapore: Cengage Learning Asia
• Weber, R.L., Manning, K.V., White, M. W. & Wegand, G.A. (1977). College
physics. McGraw-Hill Book Company

5.4 Acknowledgement

The images, tables, figures and information contained in this module were
taken from https://www.google.com/ and the references cited above.

C. M. D. Hamo-ay