Kepler’s Laws & Orbits
In this activity students will be exploring Kepler’s Laws and Orbital
Motion using the “Gravity and Orbits” PhET simulation.
Open the simulation by clicking on the link:
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/gravity-and-orbits/latest/gravity-and-orbits_en.html
Take a look at the explanatory video via YouTube:
https://youtu.be/m6e2y4fef1I
Learning Objectives
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By the end of these activities it is hoped that students will have an
acquired the following skills:
• Following explicit instructions to gain acquired knowledge
• Investigate the shape of planetary orbits
• Relate how planetary orbits link to Kepler’s first two laws of
planetary motion.
1 Author: Simon Lees 2017
1. Is the orbit of a planet circular?
- Press the TO SCALE option at the bottom
of the screen with the star and planet
chosen, see opposite image.
- Turn on the path/grid option ON, see
green circle.
- Allow the planet to move through 360o.
- Turn on the measuring tape from the tool bar, green circle.
- Measure the horizontal distance from the path line on the left of the star.
Write the measurement in the table below.
- Now do the same from the star to the path line on the right hand side.
Distance (miles)
Left side from path to star
Right side from star to path
• What do you notice about the distances?
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• What does this data say about the orbit of the planet, discuss?
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2 Author: Simon Lees 2017
2. Linking planetary orbits to Kepler’s Laws?
- Go to model
- Click sun and planet
- Press PLAY, blue circle (with path/gravity/
velocity/grid ON, green circle) and leave for
one cycle then PAUSE.
• Screen shot trajectory
Screenshot of the trajectory
• What holds the planet in the orbit?
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What shape is the orbit use the screenshot to explain this?
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- Turn ON gravity force button, green circle
above.
Screenshot of the
• What direction do the forces face, trajectory
screenshot this as proof?
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- Turn the gravity OFF, green circle above.
• What happens to the planet & why,
screenshot this as proof?
Screenshot of the
direction
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3 Author: Simon Lees 2017
- Now increase slightly the velocity of the plant
by extending the red ‘v’ arrow of the planet,
green circle.
• What happens to the planet in the orbit?
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• What is the shape of the orbit when increased?
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- Now increase the velocity of the plant to a large extent by extending the
red ‘v’ arrow.
• What happens to the planet in the orbit?
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- Now decrease slightly the velocity of the plant
by diminishing the red ‘v’ arrow, green circle.
• What happens to the planet in the orbit?
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• What is the shape of the orbit when increased?
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- Now decrease the velocity of the plant to a large extent by moving the ‘v’
arrow in.
• What happens to the planet in the orbit?
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• Now try to explain this in terms of v and gravity?
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4 Author: Simon Lees 2017
• Is the velocity constant throughout the journey?
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• Which one of Kepler’s law does this relate to?
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- With the star and planet chosen and path/grid
on, increase the size of the star by sliding the
controller to 1.5/1.75/2.0, green circle.
• What do you notice about the orbit?
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• What happens to the velocity on the path?
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- Now do the same but change the planets
mass 1.5/1.75/2.0, blue circle.
• What do you notice about the orbit?
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• Why do you think the observation for your
previous answer occurs?
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5 Author: Simon Lees 2017
