Gravity and Motion · Mechanics and Motion

Circular Motion and Gravitation

Exploring centripetal force and Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation in the context of orbits and satellites.

Key Questions

  1. 1How does the centripetal force model explain the stable orbits of geostationary satellites?
  2. 2What variables affect the gravitational field strength at different distances from a celestial body?
  3. 3How would an engineer determine the optimal orbital altitude for a global positioning system?

ACARA Content Descriptions

AC9SPU03AC9SPU04
Year: Year 12
Subject: Physics
Unit: Gravity and Motion
Period: Mechanics and Motion

Suggested Methodologies

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