SHS

General Physics 1
Quarter 2 – Week 3
Module 3 - Kepler’s Third Law of Planetary Motion Versus
Newton’s Law of Gravitation and Centripetal Acceleration
General Physics 1
Grade 11/12 Quarter 2 - Module 3 - Kepler’s Third Law of Planetary
Motion Versus Newton’s Law of Gravitation and Centripetal Acceleration
First Edition, 2020

Copyright © 2020
La Union Schools Division
Region I

All rights reserved. No part of this module may be reproduced in any form
without written permission from the copyright owners.

Development Team of the Module

Author: MARTIN GREGOR ALLADA

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General Physics 1
Quarter 2 – Week 3
Module 3 - Kepler’s Third Law of
Planetary Motion Versus
Newton’s Law of Gravitation and
Centripetal Acceleration
 Target

Kinematics and Newton’s second law of motion provided the basis

for analyzing motion from one place to another and the forces that cause
motion to change. In this chapter, we restrict our attention to objects moving
in a circular path at constant speed such as the moon orbiting the earth or a
racecar moving at constant speed around a circular track.

In this module, we shall dispense with all the mathematics so

that we can easily outline how Kepler’s laws are implied by those of Newton’s
and use Newton’s laws to supply corrections to Kepler’s laws; and describe
the periodic motion of bodies like simple harmonic motion.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. relate Kepler’s third law of planetary motion to Newton’s law of

gravitation and centripetal acceleration (STEM_GP12G-IIc22).
2. relate the amplitude, frequency, period, displacement, velocity,
and acceleration of oscillating systems (STEM_GP12PMIIc24).
3. recognize the necessary conditions for an object to undergo simple
harmonic motion (STEM_GP12PMIIc25); and
4. calculate the period and the frequency of spring mass, simple
pendulum, and physical pendulum (STEM_GP12PMIIc27).
 Jumpstart

Jump in. Do the activity on the next page to get a better grasp
of the concept. Don’t forget to give your best shot in answering
the questions. The activities will give you a highlight in this
lesson.

Activity 1: Research Time

Direction: Make a report not less than 100 words. Use a separate sheet of
paper for your answer.

Investigate how Kepler was forced finally to the realization that the
orbits of the planets were not the circles demanded by Aristotle and assumed
implicitly by Copernicus but were instead the “flattened circles” that
geometers call ellipses. Why is it important that the orbits of the planets are
elliptical?

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 Discover

Lesson 1: Newton’s Laws and Kepler’s Laws

A space vehicle, when not under power, is governed by the laws

which determine the motions of stars, planets, and comets. Johannes
Kepler (1571-1630) used inductive reasoning to formulate laws to fit the
astronomical observations and calculations given him by his patron,
Tycho Brahe. Newton, in his Principia Mathematica (1687), showed that
kind of planetary motion described by Kepler’s laws can be deduced
from the universal law of gravitation.
Kepler’s careful analysis of Tycho Brahe’s data regarding the
positions and periods of the planets led him to deduce and formulate
his three laws of planetary motion. The three laws can be stated as
follows:
1) The law of orbits state that the planets move in elliptical orbits
with the sun at one of the foci of the ellipse.

Figure 1. Elliptical orbit of a planet

 In figure 1, an ellipse is shown. According to the first law of planetary
motion by Kepler, the planets are moving in elliptical orbits. The elliptical orbit
has two foci. The sun is found in one of the two foci. The sum of the distances
of any point in the ellipse to the two foci is constant. As the two foci come
closer to one another, the semi-major axis and the semi minor axis become
almost equal to one another, so the orbit becomes a circle. The distance of the
closest approach is called perigee or perihelion, while the distance of the
farthest approach is called apogee or aphelion.

2) The law of areas states that a straight line drawn from the sun to the
planet sweeps equal areas at equal intervals of time.

Figure 2. Diagram of Kepler’s second law

Shown in Figure 2 is an illustration that will help you understand
Kepler’s second law of planetary motion better. The elliptical path of a planet
has been subdivided into segments covered at equal time intervals. It means
that the time it takes from point A to point B is the same as the time it takes
for the planet to travel from point C to point D. According to the law of areas,
the shaded areas MAB is equal to the shaded area of MCD.

3) The law of periods states that the squares of the periods of the planets
are proportional to the cubes of their average distances from the sun.
The third law of planetary motion by Kepler can be written in equation
form as

T2 = r3 where T is the period of the planet which is the time

it takes for the planet to make one complete
revolution around the sun and r is the average or
mean distance of the planet from the sun.
Relationship of Kepler’s laws to Newton’s Laws
➢ Since the planets move on ellipses (1st law of Kepler), they are
continually accelerating. Therefore, a force is acting continuously on
the planets.
➢ Because the planet-sun line sweeps out equal areas in equal times (2 nd
law of Kepler), it is possible to show that the force must be directed
toward the sun from the planet.
➢ From Kepler’s 1st law, the orbit is an ellipse with the sun at the focus
whereas from Newton’s laws, it can be shown that this means that the
magnitude of the force must vary as one over the square of the distance
between the planet and the sun.
➢ Kepler’s 3rd law and Newton’s 3rd law imply that the force must be
proportional to the product of the masses for the planet and the sun.

Conclusion
Thus, Kepler’s laws and Newton’s laws taken together imply that the
force that holds the planets in their orbits by continuously changing the
planet’s velocity so that it follows an elliptical path; is directed toward the sun
from the planet; proportional to the product of masses for the sun and planet;
and inversely proportional to the square of the planet-sun separation. This is
precisely the form of the gravitational force, with the universal gravitational
constant (G) as the constant of proportionality. Thus, Newton’s laws of
motion, with a gravitational force used in the 2nd law, imply Kepler’s laws, and
the planets obey the same laws of motion as objects on the surface of the
earth.
Periodic Motion

Simple Harmonic Motion

Objects that move back and forth over the same path such as a
swinging pendulum, a metal weight bobbing up and down, and a
vibrating guitar spring exhibit periodic motion. One type of periodic
motion is simple harmonic motion. Simple harmonic motion is an
oscillatory motion experienced by an object displaced by a force from an
equilibrium position.
Simple harmonic motion, just like any other motion, can be
described in terms of displacement, velocity, and acceleration. A body
whose acceleration is proportional to its displacement from a certain
equilibrium position and opposite to its displacement is said to move in
simple harmonic motion. A body moving in SHM has its displacement
from the equilibrium position continuously changing. The maximum
displacement attained by the body on either side of the equilibrium is
its amplitude. The total number of vibrations per unit time is called
frequency of the motion. On the other hand, the time for one complete
vibration is called period of motion.

Equations for Simple Harmonic Motion

a) Period of the spring (T)

m
T = 2π √ k
b) Maximum acceleration (amax)

2
amax = – 4π
2
A
T
c) Acceleration from the equilibrium position (a)

2
a = – 4π
2
x
T
Sample problem
A 100-g body is attached at the end of a hanging spring with a spring
constant of 2,000 dynes/cm. It is displaced 10 cm from its equilibrium
position and then released.
(a) calculate the period (T),
(b) find the maximum acceleration of the body, and
(c) find the acceleration of the body when it is 5.0 cm from the
equilibrium position.
Solution:

Given:
m = 100g
k = 2000 dynes/cm
A = 10 cm X = 5.0 cm
√𝑚 √100𝑔
a) T = 2π = 2π T = 1.40 s
𝑘 2000 𝑑𝑦𝑛𝑒𝑠/𝑐𝑚

−4𝜋2 𝐴 −4𝜋2 (10 𝑐𝑚)

b) amax = - = - amax = -200.3 cm/s2
𝑇2 (1.40𝑠)2

−4𝜋2 𝑋 −4𝜋2 (5.0 𝑐𝑚)

c) a = - = - a = -100 cm/s2
𝑇2 (1.40𝑠)2

Simple Pendulum (SP)

A simple pendulum consists of a bob of relatively large mass hanging
on a string with negligible mass. The string is normally in a vertical position.
The bob hangs along a vertical line and is in equilibrium under the action of
two forces, its weight and the tension in the string.
Equation in solving SP

L
T = 2π √ g
Sample Problem
 A string of a pendulum has a length of 1.0 m and has a period of 2.0 s.
Find the value of g at a point of the pendulum. If the same pendulum is
brought to another place where the value of g is 9.85 m/s, what is the period
of the pendulum at that place?
Given: L = 1.0 m
T = 2.0 s
Required: (a) value of g at a point
(b) T of the pendulum at a point where g is equal to 9.85 m/s2
Solution:

√𝐿 4𝜋2 𝐿
a) T = 2π derive the equation to get: g=
𝑔 𝑇2

−4𝜋2 1.0 𝑚
= g = 9.87 s
( 2.0 𝑠)2

√𝐿 √1.0 𝑚
b) T = 2π = 2π T = 2.001 s
𝑔 9.85 𝑚/𝑠2

Physical Pendulum (PP)

A physical pendulum refers to an object which oscillates back and
forth, in contrast to the rather idealized simple pendulum where all the mass
is concentrated in a single point (usually the mass hanging on the end of the
massless rope). One example of a physical pendulum is a baseball bat
swinging back and forth. Any object which is acted upon by a restoring torque
will move in angular harmonic motion when given an angular displacement.
A physical pendulum can illustrate this effect.
When a disk is displaced in such a way that there is a restoring torque,
we have a torsion balance. The restoring torque tends to bring it back to its
equilibrium position. The body is said to move with angular harmonic
motion. The body is free to rotate about an axis perpendicular to its own
plane.
Equation in solving PP

T = 2π √ I
mgL

Sample Problem
A body is pivoted so that its center of gravity is 1.0 cm from the axis of
rotation. The body’s radius of gyration is 60 cm. The body acts like a physical
pendulum. Find the period of vibration of the body.

Given: c.g of the body = 1.0 from the axis of rotation

radius of gyration = 60 cm
Required: period T of the body
Solution: Get first the moment of inertia of the body I
I = m(0.60 m)2
Calculate the period T using the formula then substitute the
given values.

√(𝑚 0.60 𝑚)2

T = 2π 𝑚 T = 1.5 s
𝑚 (9.8𝑠2)(1.0 𝑚)
 Explore

Accomplish the activities below. This would help you

strengthen your skills and basic concepts you have learned
in this lesson.

Activity 1: Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE it is incorrect.

_________________1. Any object which is acted upon by a restoring
torque will move in simple harmonic motion.
_________________2. A body is said to be moving in a simple harmonic motion
if the acceleration is proportional to its displacement from
a certain equilibrium position and opposite to its
displacement.
_________________3. Kepler’s 2nd law and Newton’s 3rd law imply that the
force must be proportional to the product of the masses for
the planet and the sun.
_________________4. Since the planets move on ellipses (1st law of Kepler),
they are continually accelerating. Therefore, a force is
acting continuously on the planets.
_________________5. Newton’s laws of motion, with a gravitational force used
in the 2nd law, imply Kepler’s laws, and the planets obey
the same laws of motion as objects on the surface of the
earth.

Activity 2:

Using a graphic organizer, explain the relationship of Kepler’s law and

Newton’s law.

Rubric:
5 points - appropriateness of the organizer
5 points - content and relevance
5 points - neatness and clarity of concept
 Deepen

Direction: Solve the following problems systematically. Use another sheet of

paper for your solution.

Problem Sets:
1) A 70-g body is attached at the end of a hanging spring with a spring
constant of 3,500 dynes/cm. It is displaced 15 cm from its equilibrium
position and then released.
(a) calculate the period (T),
(b) find the maximum acceleration of the body,
(c) find the acceleration of the body when it is 22 cm from the
equilibrium position.

2) A string of a pendulum has a length of 1.2 m and has a period of

2.4 s.
(a) find the value of g at a point of the pendulum,
(b) if the same pendulum is brought to another place where the
value of g is 9.83 m/s, what is the period of the pendulum
at that place?

3) A body is pivoted so that its center of gravity is 2.5 m from the axis of
rotation. The body’s radius of gyration is 28 cm. The body acts like a
physical pendulum. Find the period of vibration of the body.
 Gauge

Directions: Read carefully each item. Write only the letter of the best
answer. Use a separate sheet of paper for your answers.

______1. What law states that a straight line drawn from the sun to the
planet sweeps equal areas at equal intervals of time?
a. law of orbits c. law of motion
b. law of areas d. law of periods
______2. What law states that the planets move in elliptical orbits with the
sun at one of the foci of the ellipse?
a. law of orbits c. law of motion
b. law of areas d. law of periods
______3. What law states that the squares of the periods of the planets are
proportional to the cubes of their average distances from the sun?
a. law of orbits c. law of motion
b. law of areas d. law of periods
______4. What phenomenon is observed when an object moves repeatedly at
a given amount of time?
a. periodic motion c. rectilinear motion
b. circular motion d. translational motion
______5. What type of oscillatory motion experienced by an object displaced
by a force from an equilibrium position?
a. periodic motion c. simple harmonic
b. circular motion d. translational motion

For numbers 6-10, complete the table. Write minus wrong (5 points)

Planet Mean distance, R Period, T (Earth r3 / T2

from the Sun years)
(au)
Mercury 0.39 0.24
Venus 0.72 0.62
Earth 1 1
Mars 1.52 1.88
Jupiter 5.2 11.9
Saturn 9.56 29.4
Uranus 19.22 84
Neptune 30.11 165
For numbers 11-13, refer to the following problem below.

A 105-g body is attached at the end of a hanging spring with a spring

constant of 1,300 dynes/cm. It is displaced 25 cm from its equilibrium
position and then released.

______11. What is the period of the hanging spring?

a. 1.6 s c. 2.0 s
b. 1.8 s d. 2.2 s
______12. What is the maximum acceleration of the spring?
a. -300.6 cm/s2 c. 300.6 cm/s2
b. -304.6 cm/s 2 d. 304.6 cm/s2
______13. What is the acceleration of the spring if its position is 7.0 cm from
the equilibrium position?
a. -85.3 cm/s2 c. 85.2 cm/s2
b. -90.5 cm/s 2 d. 90.5 cm/s2
______14. A string of a pendulum has a length of 2.5 m and has a period of
2.8 s. What is the value of g at a point of the pendulum?
a. 11. 2 s c. 35.2 s
b. 12.6 s d. 38.4 s
______15. A body is pivoted so that its center of gravity is 2.5 m from the
axis of rotation. The body’s radius of gyration is 20 cm. The body acts
like a physical pendulum. What is the period of vibration of the body?
a. 0.01 s c. 0.11 s
b. 0.1 s d. 1.0 s
References
Books:

Abistado, Joanna M. and Aquino, Marites D. 2012. Science Links-Physics.

Manila. Rex Book Store, Inc.

Caintic, Helen E. 2017. General Physics 1. Quezon City. C and E Publishing,

Inc.

David, Oliver M. et al. 2012. Discover Science: Physics. Makati. Diwa

Learning Systems, Inc.

Nolasco, Fernando, Ma. Duran. 2010. Integrative Physics. Makati City.

Salesiana Books by Don Bosco Press, Inc.

Osabel, Marco C. 2010. Conceptual Science and Beyond-Physics Laboratory

Manual. Quezon City. Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc.