Concepts of Physics Class Page

Cool Links:

Download a gravity simulation - Gravitator 2 (Mac), Gravitation 5.0 (Windows)

Tuesday, February 19

Wednesday, February 20

*Lunar eclipse tonight!

Return Chapters 9 & 10 Quizzes

Field trip: a tour of the solar system

Speed of the Earth in orbit

Satellites as high speed projectiles

Thursday, February 21

Gravity lab

Last 15 minutes: Universal law of graviation; calculating Saturn's graviational attraction to the Sun

Friday, February 22 – No school – Snow Day

Monday, February 25

What gravity Really is - an attraction between any two pieces of mass in the universe

What gravity isn't caused by only by planets, spinning objects or the atmosphere

Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation example problems

Elliptical orbits

Tuesday, February 26

Wednesday, February 27

P. 180, 15–20 due

How to calculate g

Pass out "It's a g thing"

Read What is GPS? by today

Review "What is GPS?"

All about the Huygens probe

Thursday, February 28

P. 181, 22–27 due

Homework Q&A

Calculating g examples

Look at StarryNight simulations

Friday, February 29

Gravity Lab Due

Types of orbits

There are about 8000 satellites in orbit right now. Most are operational.

STS/ISS orbit

Geosynchronous orbits (weather, etc.) 4.23 e7 m

Iridium satellite phones called iridium because there were 77 satellites. Now there are just 66. Polar orbit of 421 miles above the earth's surface.

Military surveillance satellites are not geosychronous

Elliptical orbits (XM vs. Sirius)

Russia launched Sirius satellites aboard Proton rockets
There are three Sirius satellites in elliptical orbit so that at least two are above the U.S. at all times
Boeing's SeaLaunch launched 2 XM satellites from a ship at the equator into geosynchronous orbit; one at 85°W longitude (Rock) and the other at 115°W longitude (Roll). A third backup is on the ground and will be launched in case of failure.