SMRF and READ this text. Then complete the following responses to text.
- Highlight the main ideas. Summarize these main ideas in one or two paragraphs.
- When does gravity decrease? As the object comes closer
- When does the force of gravity become noticeable? When you are in the atmosphere of
- the planet or moon
- Gravity disappears when you are above the atmosphere. True or False? true
- According to the text, how long does it take the International Space Station (ISS) to orbit
- earth? 92 minutes
- Who first stated that all objects are attracted towards each other by gravity? Isaac
- newton sr
- Find six words in the text that have a suffix. Nearly released
Gravity
Gravity is a force that attracts all objects towards each other. People are attracted towards
the Earth and the Earth towards people, the Moon and the Earth are attracted towards each
other, and the Sun and the Earth are attracted towards each other. All of these attractions
are caused by gravity. Gravitational attraction is greater for more massive objects. Gravity
decreases as distance between the objects increases.
Gravity attracts all things towards each other
Every object in the Universe is being attracted towards every other object by the force of gravity.
This means that there is nowhere you can go in the Universe where gravity is not acting. Examples
of gravity in action:
This means that there is nowhere you can go in the Universe where gravity is not acting. Examples
of gravity in action:
- Gravity holds the atmosphere in place around the Earth.
- Gravity keeps people on the Earth’s surface.
- Gravity keeps the International Space Station in orbit around the Earth.
- Gravity keeps the Moon orbiting around the Earth.
- Gravity keeps the Earth orbiting around the Sun.
Isaac Newton was the first to come up with the idea that allEarth-Moon system and gravity
Any two masses are attracted towards each other by gravity. This force of gravity causes the
Moon to change direction to make it orbit around the Earth.
Moon to change direction to make it orbit around the Earth.
Gravity doesn’t disappear just because you are above the atmosphere. Even if an object is high above
the Earth’s atmosphere, there will still be a strong force of gravity pulling it towards the centre of the
Earth. At an altitude of 30 km, you would be above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere. At 100 km, you
would officially be in space, yet the weight force of gravity would still be nearly the same. You and the
Earth would still be pulled together.
the Earth’s atmosphere, there will still be a strong force of gravity pulling it towards the centre of the
Earth. At an altitude of 30 km, you would be above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere. At 100 km, you
would officially be in space, yet the weight force of gravity would still be nearly the same. You and the
Earth would still be pulled together.
Isaac Newton worked out that, if the distance from the centre of the Earth doubles, gravity becomes a
quarter as much as it was on the surface. A satellite with a mass of 1000 kg has a weight force of 9800
N at the Earth’s surface. The radius of the Earth is about 6366 km, so at 6366 km above the Earth’s
surface, the distance from the centre of the Earth will have doubled. The weight force pulling it towards
the centre of the Earth will now only be a quarter as much but will still be 2450 N.
quarter as much as it was on the surface. A satellite with a mass of 1000 kg has a weight force of 9800
N at the Earth’s surface. The radius of the Earth is about 6366 km, so at 6366 km above the Earth’s
surface, the distance from the centre of the Earth will have doubled. The weight force pulling it towards
the centre of the Earth will now only be a quarter as much but will still be 2450 N.
So why doesn’t a 1000 kg satellite just fall back to Earth?
Sideways speed keeps satellites in orbit.
As a satellite moves around the Earth in a circular orbit, the direction of the force of gravity is
always towards the centre of the Earth.
always towards the centre of the Earth.
At an altitude of 100 km, you would be so high that you would see black sky and stars if you looked
upwards. If you took a satellite to this height and released it, it would still fall towards the Earth
because the force of gravity is nearly the same as it is at the Earth’s surface.
upwards. If you took a satellite to this height and released it, it would still fall towards the Earth
because the force of gravity is nearly the same as it is at the Earth’s surface.
However, if the satellite is given speed in any direction horizontal to the surface of the Earth, it will
travel further before it hits the Earth. If it is given enough speed, it will travel so far that, as it curves
towards the Earth, it will miss the Earth altogether. At just the right speed, it will move around the
Earth in a circular motion. This type of motion and the path that a satellite moves in is called an orbit.
travel further before it hits the Earth. If it is given enough speed, it will travel so far that, as it curves
towards the Earth, it will miss the Earth altogether. At just the right speed, it will move around the
Earth in a circular motion. This type of motion and the path that a satellite moves in is called an orbit.
Close to the Earth at an altitude of 100 km, a satellite needs to be moving at 8 kilometres per second
(28 000 km/h) to stay in orbit. At higher altitudes, satellites do not need to be travelling as fast.
Television communication satellites are at a higher altitude of 36 000 km and only need to travel
at 3 km/s (11,000 km/h).
(28 000 km/h) to stay in orbit. At higher altitudes, satellites do not need to be travelling as fast.
Television communication satellites are at a higher altitude of 36 000 km and only need to travel
at 3 km/s (11,000 km/h).
The Moon is 360,000 km from the Earth and only needs to be travelling at 1 km/s to stay in orbit
around the Earth.
around the Earth.
If there is gravity in space, why do astronauts appear weightless?
are attracted towards each other by gravity. Even people are attracted towards each other by gravity,
but this force is so small that it is not noticeable. Gravity only becomes noticeable if one (or both) of the
objects has a lot of mass, such as the Earth.
but this force is so small that it is not noticeable. Gravity only becomes noticeable if one (or both) of the
objects has a lot of mass, such as the Earth.
There is gravity in space
Earth-Moon system and gravity
Any two masses are attracted towards each other by gravity. This force of gravity causes the
Moon to change direction to make it orbit around the Earth.
Moon to change direction to make it orbit around the Earth.
Gravity doesn’t disappear just because you are above the atmosphere. Even if an object is high above
the Earth’s atmosphere, there will still be a strong force of gravity pulling it towards the centre of the Earth.
At an altitude of 30 km, you would be above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere. At 100 km, you would officially
be in space, yet the weight force of gravity would still be nearly the same. You and the Earth would still
be pulled together.
the Earth’s atmosphere, there will still be a strong force of gravity pulling it towards the centre of the Earth.
At an altitude of 30 km, you would be above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere. At 100 km, you would officially
be in space, yet the weight force of gravity would still be nearly the same. You and the Earth would still
be pulled together.
Isaac Newton worked out that, if the distance from the centre of the Earth doubles, gravity becomes
a quarter as much as it was on the surface. A satellite with a mass of 1000 kg has a weight force of 9800
N at the Earth’s surface. The radius of the Earth is about 6366 km, so at 6366 km above the Earth’s
surface, the distance from the centre of the Earth will have doubled. The weight force pulling it towards
the centre of the Earth will now only be a quarter as much but will still be 2450 N.
a quarter as much as it was on the surface. A satellite with a mass of 1000 kg has a weight force of 9800
N at the Earth’s surface. The radius of the Earth is about 6366 km, so at 6366 km above the Earth’s
surface, the distance from the centre of the Earth will have doubled. The weight force pulling it towards
the centre of the Earth will now only be a quarter as much but will still be 2450 N.
So why doesn’t a 1000 kg satellite just fall back to Earth?
Sideways speed keeps satellites in orbit.
As a satellite moves around the Earth in a circular orbit, the direction of the force of gravity is
always towards the centre of the Earth.
always towards the centre of the Earth.
At an altitude of 100 km, you would be so high that you would see black sky and stars if you looked
upwards. If you took a satellite to this height and released it, it would still fall towards the Earth because
the force of gravity is nearly the same as it is at the Earth’s surface.
upwards. If you took a satellite to this height and released it, it would still fall towards the Earth because
the force of gravity is nearly the same as it is at the Earth’s surface.
However, if the satellite is given speed in any direction horizontal to the surface of the Earth, it will travel
further before it hits the Earth. If it is given enough speed, it will travel so far that, as it curves towards
the Earth, it will miss the Earth altogether. At just the right speed, it will move around the Earth in a
circular motion. This type of motion and the path that a satellite moves in is called an orbit.
further before it hits the Earth. If it is given enough speed, it will travel so far that, as it curves towards
the Earth, it will miss the Earth altogether. At just the right speed, it will move around the Earth in a
circular motion. This type of motion and the path that a satellite moves in is called an orbit.
Close to the Earth at an altitude of 100 km, a satellite needs to be moving at 8 kilometres per second
(28 000 km/h) to stay in orbit. At higher altitudes, satellites do not need to be travelling as fast.
Television communication satellites are at a higher altitude of 36 000 km and only need to travel at
3 km/s (11,000 km/h).
(28 000 km/h) to stay in orbit. At higher altitudes, satellites do not need to be travelling as fast.
Television communication satellites are at a higher altitude of 36 000 km and only need to travel at
3 km/s (11,000 km/h).
The Moon is 360,000 km from the Earth and only needs to be travelling at 1 km/s to stay in orbit
around the Earth.
around the Earth.
If there is gravity in space, why do astronauts appear weightless?
Astronauts appear to be weightless for the same reason that a person on a trampoline feels weightless
when in the air. There is still the same amount of gravity acting, but there is no floor pushing upwards
on the astronaut, so the weight force cannot be felt.
when in the air. There is still the same amount of gravity acting, but there is no floor pushing upwards
on the astronaut, so the weight force cannot be felt.
If a person was in an elevator and the cables broke and the brakes failed (we are assured this
cannot happen), the person and the elevator would fall towards the Earth at the same rate.
The floor would not be holding the person upwards, so the person could enjoy the sensation
of weightlessness (for a brief while).
cannot happen), the person and the elevator would fall towards the Earth at the same rate.
The floor would not be holding the person upwards, so the person could enjoy the sensation
of weightlessness (for a brief while).
This is the same for astronauts high above the atmosphere on the International Space Station
(ISS) at an altitude of about 400 km. Gravity is still strong, but the astronaut and the ISS fall
towards the ground at the same rate. They are also both travelling horizontally at 28,000 km/h.
As they fall towards the ground, they travel so fast horizontally that they miss the Earth altogether
and orbit the Earth once every 90 minutes.
(ISS) at an altitude of about 400 km. Gravity is still strong, but the astronaut and the ISS fall
towards the ground at the same rate. They are also both travelling horizontally at 28,000 km/h.
As they fall towards the ground, they travel so fast horizontally that they miss the Earth altogether
and orbit the Earth once every 90 minutes.
Nature of science
Science ideas change over time. Isaac Newton’s gravity-based world view has since been
superseded by Albert Einstein’s ideas that all masses distort space and time. This highlights the
fact that science is not a fixed body of knowledge. Although Einstein’s theory is widely accepted,
Newton’s law of universal gravitation is still used for practical situations such as satellite motion.
superseded by Albert Einstein’s ideas that all masses distort space and time. This highlights the
fact that science is not a fixed body of knowledge. Although Einstein’s theory is widely accepted,
Newton’s law of universal gravitation is still used for practical situations such as satellite motion.
Hi Jaxon,
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you learnt quite a bit about gravity. I like how you explained why the 1000kg satellites don't just fall onto Earth. I also liked how you explained how the gravitational forces can keep things in space or pull them out of it.
Keep blogging!