Lab 7

Gravity
Since it is rather difficult to physically play with gravitational forces, we will use a simple gravity
simulator provided by the University of Colorado:
http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/my-solar-system/my-solar-system_en.html
The easiest way to get there is to type: phet.colorado.edu into the address bar of your favorite
browser.
Click Play with sims>
In the left column click Physics
In the left column click Motion
Scroll down a bit and in the center of the screen click My Solar System
Click Run Now!
This simulation models the motion of stars, planets, and moons under the gravitational force
which exists between any two objects
1 2
| | =
.
2
In this equation, 1 and 2 are the two objects which are pulling on each other through
gravity, is the distance between the two objects, and is a constant. In the real world =
6.67 1011

2
2

. We do not normally notice the gravitational force between most objects

nearby because the 1011 makes this force negligibly weak unless at least one of the masses is
planet sized.
For this simulation the constant has been assigned a different value. This way the computer
will have an easier time tracking the motion of the simulated planets even if their mass is 6
instead of 6 1024 .
First familiarize yourself with the equipment. Most buttons should be self-explanatory,
however, you may only adjust the mass/position/velocity immediately after hitting the
Reset button. You can check the current position and velocity of a planet by pressing the
stop button and then placing the mouse on the planet.
A central concept to understanding many of the results of this simulation (and the motion of
real objects in our universe) is Center of Mass. The center of mass is a position; it is the
average location of all of the mass in a system
( )
=

Where references each of the objects in the system.

Example:
Imagine we have two objects. Object 1 has a mass of 4 kg and is at the origin. So 1 =
4 , 1 = 0 , and 1 = 0 . Object 2 has a mass of 2 kg and is at the location (3,5).
So 2 = 2 , 2 = 3 , and 2 = 5 . Our center of mass formula states
( )
=

=

) + (2 ) (3 + 5)
(4 ) (0
(4 + 2)
=

(6 + 10)
6

5
= (1 + )
3
Even though the center of mass vector does not always point to an object (many times it points
to the empty space between objects) it can move with a velocity, , and have an
acceleration, , just like any other position vector.
Important: The system centered box does not force the Center of Mass to be in the center,
however it does readjust the initial velocities of the objects so that the center of mass velocity
is zero. If this does not make sense, create a large star and a small planet and give the Large
star a velocity and the small planet no velocity and see what happens when it is System
Centered and not system Centered.

Task 1: The Sun moves?!

When you first start the simulator, you are immediately shown a star and a planet (if you have
been playing with the buttons you can return to the setup I am referring to by clicking the drop
down menu and selecting Sun and planet also make sure that System Centered is checked).
If you press the Start button the planet will orbit the star and the path of both objects will be
traced out. What is it that the Sun is going around? (You can make the Suns motion more
apparent by increasing the mass of the planet.)
DA: Take the data needed to find the exact position of the center of mass. In addition, include
a screenshot of the simulation with the orbits traced out.
Researcher: explain how the Center of Mass formula was used to find the center of mass.
PI: Make the explicit connection between the numerical value calculated for center of mass and
its location on the screenshot of simulation provided by the DA and the question What is it
that the Sun is going around?.
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Task 2: Units
Under the help button it says that distance, mass, and velocity are in arbitrary units. To use any
of our references from the book we need the value of G in these arbitrary units. To measure G
we will use the Law of Conservation of Energy:
= + + = + .
refers to the kinetic energy in the system. We can use the standard formula for this
concept.
is the work done by something outside the system between the and states.
The only thing outside the simulation that can change it is the person operating the simulation,
so if we choose not to adjust any of the parameters by hand while the simulation is playing
then _ = 0.
refers to the Gravitational Potential Energy in the system. We cannot use because
that is only an approximation which is only valid if the changes in are much less than the
distance between the objects. Instead we will use the formula
1 2
=
,

where the variables are the same as in the definition of gravitational force on page 1.
1) For our initial measurement, create a star and a planet both at rest that are separated
by some large distance (if you want your life to be easier make sure the separation is
purely in the x direction OR purely in the y direction). By doing this you can easily
calculate everything in the initial energy except the big in the potential energy
formula.
2) Hit Start and then hit Stop quickly before they collide.
3) If you put the mouse on the large star you can see its position and velocity. Similarly,
you can put the mouse on the small mass and see its mass and velocity. Therefore, you
can calculate a new potential energy (except G is still unknown) and the kinetic energies
for the two masses. If we add the (negative) potential energy to the (positive) Kinetic
energies, we must have the same total Energy as when we started. Therefore we can
solve for G.
4) Without changing the initial conditions, click Start and Stop again before the objects
collide. Take data and calculate G a second time.
5) Click Reset and move your two objects to significantly different initial positions (the
most important thing to change is the initial distance between the two objects). Click
Start and Stop. Take data and calculate G a third time.
Researcher: explain the formulas used to solve for G.
DA: record and present the data needed to find the solution.
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PHY 241 Spring 2016

PI: G is one of the main results of this lab (but this value is only good for this computer
simulation). Report on your three trials and comment on whether the three trials measured
equivalent G values. Hint: Is the total energy constant for all three trials?

Task 2: Two body Systems

Set up a situation where a planet is in a significantly elliptical orbit around a star. Compare the
motion of the planet at apastron (farthest from the star) to periastron (closest to the star).
Why is there a significant speed difference?
Researcher: Explain using either Impulse or Energy how the speed of the planet increases as it
approaches the star.
DA: record relevant data about the planet and star at apastron and periastron.
PI: Lets assume our planet is instead a spaceship that has an orbit of high eccentricity, how
should you fire your thrusters to make the orbit more circular? Does it matter where you are
in the orbit? Specifically, what should you do in apastron and periastron?

Task 3: Moons
Now lets look at something quite different.
From the drop down menu, select Sun, planet, moon. Also, please turn OFF the Show Grid
and Show Traces boxes.
Please describe the motion of the moon?

Just for fun, lets turn Show traces back on. Now, describe the motion of the moon?

How does the trace of the moons path make a difference to its motion? Or how does the
trace of the moons path make a difference to our interpretation of its motion?

Task 4: Many bodies

It turns out that as soon as you have more than two objects in your solar system it becomes
impossible to predict the motion of all the objects arbitrarily far into the future. In fact, the
best you can do is get a strong computer to numerically try to figure out what happens next.
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PHY 241 Spring 2016

However because computers only have a limited amount of memory, they must round their
answers, which eventually lead to incorrect results.
Go to the Select Preset and start the Four Star Ballet. Notice that there is a high degree of
symmetry in the initial setting for this four body system. Which of the four objects is most
likely to go off course and cause the other objects to move chaotically?
After watching Four Star Ballet for 20 seconds or so, hit the reset button and adjust any one
initial parameter by just a little bit 1%. How does the resulting motion change?

Thinking about previous Instability, will our solar system go spiraling out of control? Play with
the simulator, and try to find what conditions allow stable orbit rather than unstable orbits.
Why is the Double double stable but the Four star ballet is not?
Make sure you look at the slingshots and the Binary Star, Planet Just because they are fun
simulations.

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