explore the orbital motion of the five different gravitational systems, A through E, through a virtual simulation provided by PhET. You will fill out the masses of the star and the planet. You will also measure the orbital radius and the period of the system in the Excel worksheet (highlighted area). You will learn about the properties of orbital shape, escape velocity, and Kepler’s third law.
View the PhET “Gravity and Orbits” Interactive Simulation.
Review the video PhET Gravity & Orbits to familiarize yourself with the various functions of the simulation before beginning your assignment.
