Space notes (Physics 2014 year 12)
Physics HSC Notes Space
1. Earth has a gravitational field that exerts a force on objects both on it and around it.
K1 Define weight as the force on an object due to a gravitational field.
Mass is the amount of matter within an object, measured in kg
Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object’s mass measured in newtons (N). Weight is a force thus a vector quantity.
K2 Explain that a change in gravitational potential energy is related to work done.
To move an object within a gravitational field, work must be done.
As we lift an object from the ground to a height above the ground we do work on it. This work is stored in the object as gravitational potential energy. For an object of mass m at a height h above the Earth’s surface the gravitational potential energy E is given by:
E p mgh However this equation is valid only when the object is near the Earth’s surface.
K3 Define Gravitational potential energy as the work done to move an object from a very large distance away to a point in a gravitational field
The closer the object is to the center of the gravitational field the less work required to move it there.
As the object gets closer the kinetic energy becomes greater, as energy can’t be lost the gravitational potential energy converts into kinetic energy
The further away an object is pulled away from a gravitational field the weaker the pull will be on the object decreasing the amount of energy it has there.
S1 Perform an investigation and father information to determine a value for acceleration due to gravity using pendulum motion or computer assisted technology and identify reason for possible variations from the value 9.8ms-2
Experiment procedure:
1. A mass was tied to a piece of string one metre long and was attached to a clamp connected
1. Earth has a gravitational field that exerts a force on objects both on it and around it.
K1 Define weight as the force on an object due to a gravitational field.
Mass is the amount of matter within an object, measured in kg
Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object’s mass measured in newtons (N). Weight is a force thus a vector quantity.
K2 Explain that a change in gravitational potential energy is related to work done.
To move an object within a gravitational field, work must be done.
As we lift an object from the ground to a height above the ground we do work on it. This work is stored in the object as gravitational potential energy. For an object of mass m at a height h above the Earth’s surface the gravitational potential energy E is given by:
E p mgh However this equation is valid only when the object is near the Earth’s surface.
K3 Define Gravitational potential energy as the work done to move an object from a very large distance away to a point in a gravitational field
The closer the object is to the center of the gravitational field the less work required to move it there.
As the object gets closer the kinetic energy becomes greater, as energy can’t be lost the gravitational potential energy converts into kinetic energy
The further away an object is pulled away from a gravitational field the weaker the pull will be on the object decreasing the amount of energy it has there.
S1 Perform an investigation and father information to determine a value for acceleration due to gravity using pendulum motion or computer assisted technology and identify reason for possible variations from the value 9.8ms-2
Experiment procedure:
1. A mass was tied to a piece of string one metre long and was attached to a clamp connected