Newton’s Discovery About Gravity Activity

Gravitational Attraction
online version

Go to http://www.mrwaynesclass.com/gravity
A page with a simulation looking like the one below should open up.

The spaceship can be dragged left and right with the mouse. The, "Nudge," buttons can be used to easily move the spaceship small distances.
Your task is to work with a partner to figure out what affects the pull of gravity. You are to create an experiment to PREDICT how the pull of gravity will be affected by multiplying the distance by some number, "X," and how the pull of gravity will be affected by changing the mass by multiplying it by a number, "N." From these rules that you create you should be able to correctly answer the following questions.
ScreenShot

Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
NOTE: The animation does not give you all the answers. You may need to look for trends and come up with the answer.

DATA
Factor times "R"
factor
2
1
1/2
1/3
1/4
1/5
The factor “r” changes by is given. However, the factor the force changes by will need to be calculated. Let’s say the original force is 200 N and the new force is 800 N. What number must  200 N be multiplied by to equal 800 N. This number is the factor the force changes by. In this case, 200 x 4 = 800. Therefore the force factor of change is “4.”
  1. If the initial force at some distance, r, is exactly 100 N, then what is the force of attraction at a distance of exactly 3r ?
  2. If the initial force at some distance, r, is exactly 100 N, then what is the force of attraction at a distance of exactly 4r ?
  3. If the initial force at some distance, r, is exactly 100 N, then predict what the force of attraction at a distance of exactly 5r will be.
  4. If the initial force at some distance, r, is exactly 100 N, then what is the force of attraction at a distance of exactly 1/2 r ?
  5. If the initial force at some distance, r, is exactly 100 N, then what is the force of attraction at a distance of exactly 1/3 r ?
  6. If the initial force at some distance, r, is exactly 100 N, then what is the force of attraction at a distance of exactly 1/4 r ?
  7. If the initial force at some distance, r, is exactly 100 N, then what is the force of attraction at a distance of exactly 1/10 r ?
  8. Mathematically, make up a law that describes how the force of attraction, F, change as the space ship is moved closer to asteroid, "Ida?" Call this distance "r."
  9. If the initial force at some distance, r, is exactly 100 N, then what is the force of attraction when the mass of asteroid, "Ida," is halved?
  10. If the initial force at some distance, r, is exactly 100 N, then what is the force of attraction when the mass of asteroid, "Ida," is tripled and the mass of the spaceship is doubled?
  11. Mathematically, make up a law that describes how the force of attraction, F, changes as the space ship's and the asteroid's masses are changed. You may need to use the mass buttons at the animation to create an additional experiment that will help you to answer this question. Call the masses, m1, m2.
  12. If the initial force at some distance, r, is exactly 100 N, then what is the force of attraction if the mass of asteroid, "Ida," changes by a factor of 6, the spaceship's mass is tripled and the spaceship is moved away from asteroid, "Ida," to a distance of the spaceship is increased to 3r?
  13. By what factor has the spaceship's distance, "r," changed by if the masses are unchanged from the initial condition and the force of attraction has changed from exactly 360 N to exactly 400 N?
  14. Mathematically, make up a law that describes how the force of attraction, F, changes as the space ship's mass, the asteroid's mass, and distance between are changed. Call the masses, m1, m2, and the distance r.
  15. How does the term, "inverse square," apply to your law in the previous question?

by Tony Wayne ...(If you are a teacher, please feel free to use these resources in your teaching.)

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