Section Summary

Sections
Section Summary

Section Summary

  • All satellites follow elliptical orbits.
  • The line from the satellite to the parent body sweeps out equal areas in equal time.
  • The radius cubed divided by the period squared is a constant for all satellites orbiting the same parent body.
  • Newton’s law of universal gravitation provides a mathematical basis for gravitational force and Kepler’s laws of planetary motion.
  • Einstein’s theory of general relativity shows that gravitational fields change the path of light and warp space and time.
  • An object’s mass is constant, but its weight changes when acceleration due to gravity, g, changes.