13

GRAVITATION

13.34. I DENTIFY :

The gravitational potential energy of a pair of point masses is U = G

m1m2
. Divide the rod
r

into infinitesimal pieces and integrate to find U.

S ET U P : Divide the rod into differential masses dm at position l, measured from the right end of the
rod. dm = dl ( M/L).

Gm dm
GmM dl
=
.
l+x
L l+x
GmM L dl
GmM L
Integrating, U =
=
ln 1 + . For x L, the natural logarithm is ~(L/x), and
L 0 l + x
L
x

U GmM/x.
E XECUTE :

(a) U =

(b) The x-component of the gravitational force on the sphere is Fx =

U GmM ( L/x 2 )
GmM
=
= 2
,
x
L (1 + ( L/x) )
x + Lx

with the minus sign indicating an attractive force. As

x L, the denominator in the above expression approaches x 2 , and Fx GmM/x 2 , as expected.

E VALUATE : When x is much larger than L the rod can be treated as a point mass, and our results for
U and Fx do reduce to the correct expression when x L.
13.63. I DENTIFY :

Use Fg = Gm1m2 /r 2 to calculate Fg . Apply Newtons second law to circular motion of each

star to find the orbital speed and period. Apply the conservation of energy to calculate the energy input
(work) required to separate the two stars to infinity.
(a) S ET U P : The cm is midway between the two stars since they have equal masses. Let R be the orbit
radius for each star, as sketched in Figure 13.63.
The two stars are separated by a distance 2R, so

Fg = GM 2/(2R)2 = GM 2/4 R2

Figure 13.63
(b) E XECUTE :
2

Fg = marad
2

GM /4R = M (v /R) so v = GM/4R

And T = 2 R/v = 2 R 4R/GM = 4 R3/GM
(c) S ET U P : Apply K1 + U1 + Wother = K2 + U 2 to the system of the two stars. Separate to infinity
implies K 2 = 0 and U 2 = 0.
Copyright 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.

13-1

13-2

Chapter 13
E XECUTE :

K1 = 12 Mv 2 + 12 Mv 2 = 2

( 12 M ) (GM/4R) = GM 2/4R

U1 = GM 2 /2 R
Thus the energy required is Wother = (K1 + U1) = (GM 2/4R GM 2/2R) = GM 2/4R.
E VALUATE : The closer the stars are and the greater their mass, the larger their orbital speed, the shorter
their orbital period and the greater the energy required to separate them.
13.68. I DENTIFY : The engines do work on the rocket and change its kinetic energy and gravitational potential
energy.
S ET U P : Call M the mass of the earth and m the mass of the rocket. Ug = GMm/r, K = 12 mMG/r for a
circular orbit, K1 + U1 + Wother = K2 + U 2.
EXECUTE:
K2 K1 =

(a) For a circular orbit, using K =

1
2

1
2

mMG/r gives the difference in kinetic energy:

mMG(1/r2 1/r1). Using the given numbers m = 5000 kg, M = 5.97 1024 kg,

r2 = 8.80 106 m, and r1 = 7.20 106 m, we get K2 K1 = 2.52 1010 J. The minus sign tells us that the
kinetic energy decreases.
(b) U2 U1 = GmM/r2 (GmM/r1) = GmM(1/r1 1/r2) = 2(K2 K1) = +5.03 1010 J. The plus sign
means that the energy increases.
(c) K1 + U1 + Wother = K2 + U 2 gives
Wother = (K2 K1) + (U2 U1) = 2.51 1010 J + 5.03 1010 J = +2.51 1010 J.
EVALUATE: In part (b), the potential energy increases because it becomes less negative. The work is
positive because the total energy increases.
13.72. I DENTIFY and S ET U P :

Use T =

2 a 3/2
to calculate a. T = 30,000 y(3.156 107 s/1 y) = 9.468 1011 s
GmS
1/3

GmST 2
2 a3/2
4 2 a3
E XECUTE : T =
, which gives T 2 =
= 1.4 1014 m.
, so a =
4 2
GmS
GmS

E VALUATE : The average orbit radius of Pluto is 5.9 1012 m (Appendix F); the semi-major axis for
this comet is larger by a factor of 24. Converting to meters gives 4.3 light years = 4.3(9.461 1015 m) =
4.1 1016 m. The distance of Alpha Centauri is larger by a factor of 300. The orbit of the comet extends
well past Pluto but is well within the distance to Alpha Centauri.

Copyright 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. This material is protected under all copyright laws as they currently exist.
No portion of this material may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.