Creating a Formula: Force of Gravity at Different Elevations

  • Thread starter Thread starter ChrisP2006
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gravity Phyics
AI Thread Summary
To calculate the force of gravity at different elevations, use Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, which states that Fg = G * (m1 * m2) / R^2. Here, R is the distance from the center of the Earth, which is the sum of the Earth's radius and the elevation (x + R). The formula can be expressed as y = G * (m / (R + x)^2), where y is the force of gravity, G is the gravitational constant, and m is the mass of the object. The relationship shows that as elevation increases, the force of gravity decreases, resulting in an inverse relationship. Understanding these principles will help in graphing the force of gravity against elevation.
ChrisP2006
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
I really really need help with his..

How can I make a formula that will give me the force of gravity at different elevations? Like.. x would be elevation and the y would be the force of gravity. I know I have to use Newton's law of Univerisal gravitation and sutff, but I don't know where to go. Thanks..
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Give the expression for Newton's law of gravitation. Remember that the gravitational force can be taken to act from the center of mass of the Earth, which can be presumed to be the center of an (assumed) spherical Earth. The total distance between a point mass at an elevation x and the center of the Earth is x + R, where R is the radius of the Earth.
 
Hm..

I am still very confused. When using the Universal Law.. I understand that Fg in the law is what I need to find.. and I also understand that if you graph what I'm looking for, you would get an inverse.. But after that.. I'm really lost.


would it be something like: y = G * 1/(r+x)^2 ?

r being the radius of the earth, G being the constant, x being the elevation, and y being the force of gravity?
 
Last edited:
According to classical theory, the force of gravity would be
\frac{G m_1 m_2} {R^2}

R being the distance from the centre of gravity. Since you want to find the force of gravity on a body elevated from the surface of the Earth by h ,assuming the Earth is spherical, the total distance from the centre of gravity is r + h, where r is the radius of the earth. I'll leave the rest to you.
 
Last edited:
Thread 'Collision of a bullet on a rod-string system: query'
In this question, I have a question. I am NOT trying to solve it, but it is just a conceptual question. Consider the point on the rod, which connects the string and the rod. My question: just before and after the collision, is ANGULAR momentum CONSERVED about this point? Lets call the point which connects the string and rod as P. Why am I asking this? : it is clear from the scenario that the point of concern, which connects the string and the rod, moves in a circular path due to the string...
Back
Top