Mechanics 1 version 1.

LECTURE 4 NEWTONS LAWS OF MOTION 2

4.1 Learning outcomes
You should be able to use the following concepts to solve problems:
Newtons law of gravitation
Weight
Newtons third law
4.2 Motion in a circle
In Lecture 3, we saw that an object must experience a force
,
directed towards the centre to maintain it in circular motion; here r is the vector separation
from the centre of the object and is a constant that determines how fast it moves.
So to keep an object moving in a circle, it must be pulled (or pushed) towards the centre of
the circle.

4.3 Newtons law of gravitation

Newton realised that to maintain planets, satellites etc. in circular orbits there must be some
force joining, for example, the earth to the sun, even though there is no direct link that
pushes or pulls them together. He called this force gravity.
He could explain the motion of planets by assuming that an object of mass m1 exerted a
force on a second object m2, whose position relative to the first object is given by the
position vector r, given by
.
Here, G is a constant called the universal gravitational constant and is a vector of unit
length, in the direction of r. This equation shows that gravity attracts objects together.
Because G is so small, we normally only notice its effects for very large objects, e.g. planets.
Normally, we consider spherical objects. Then, because of symmetry, their masses can be
considered to be concentrated at their centres. Then r is the distance between the centres
of the objects and r is the vector separation of the second object with respect to the first.

4.4 Weight
According to Newtons law of gravitation, an object on the surface of the earth is being
pulled towards the centre of the earth by a force of
.
1

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Here, M is the mass of the earth, m is the mass of the object and R is the radius of the earth;
here is a vector from the centre of the earth to the object. For objects on, or close to, the
surface of the earth

is effectively a constant, since R is so large. Then W can be expressed in the form

and is called the weight of the object; g is the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity.
Usually this equation is written in the form

where g is the acceleration due to gravity and is considered to be directed towards the
centre of the earth.

4.5 Newtons third law

This law states that if an object A exerts a force F on object B, then object B exerts a force F
on object A.
It explains how our weights can be supported by a chair, a floor or a bridge. It also explains
how we can hang from a rope and lean on a wall.
It also explains how a rocket engine works.

4.6 Rocket engine

In a rocket engine a chemical reaction of the fuel (propellant) occurs that produces heat. The
product of this reaction is a hot exhaust gas that expands as it is produced. The gas is
contained in a combustion chamber.
There is a valve at the rear of the rocket, to enable this gas to escape from the combustion
chamber. So the gas is not contained by the rear of the rocket, i.e. the rear combustion
chamber exerts no force on the gas. However, the front end of the combustion chamber
contains the gas, i.e. it exerts a force on the expanding gas.
From Newtons third law, the expanding gas exerts a force at the front end of the
combustion chamber but not at the rear end. Therefore, the expanding gas pushes the
rocket forward.

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4.7 Further reading

R C Hibbeler, Statics and mechanics of materials, in SI units, Pearson.
Read the sub-sections entitled Newton's law of gravitational attraction and Weight
(page 7). Unfortunately, Hibbeler forgot that force is a vector when he wrote the last two
sub-sections so you'll need to consult the lecture notes at the same time as you read, if
you want your understanding to be mathematically sound.
R C Hibbeler, Engineering mechanics: dynamics, in SI units, Pearson.
Read the sub-section entitled Inertial reference frame pages (110-111).

4.8 Work to do
Question 1: We are normally concerned with the effects of gravity very close to the surface
of the earth. What happens to the acceleration due to gravity, g, at a height h above the
surface of the earth, where R represents the earth's radius? (Because the earth is a sphere,
you can assume that its mass acts at its centre).
Question 2: Sometimes we can assume that an object undergoes a constant acceleration, a.
Derive expressions that relate:
a) the speed, v, of an object to a and distance, s.
b) v to a and time, t
c) s to a and t.
You will need to introduce the following boundary conditions: the initial value (i.e. when t =
0) of v = vo and the initial value of s = so.
Hint: To do (a) read the hint for doing Question 4 in the notes for Lecture 3.
Be careful never to use these results unless you are sure that it is reasonable to assume a
constant acceleration.
Question 3: Problem F13-5 (page 121) from: R C Hibbeler, Engineering mechanics:
dynamics, in SI units, Pearson 2013. To do this problem, you will have to read the subsection entitled Springs of the Hibbeler Statics and mechanics of materials book, on
page 162 (4th Edition, 2014).

Dont look at the answers (on Canvas) until you have either solved, or made several serious
attempts to solve, the problems.