The Open Door Web Site
Mechanics

Kepler’s Third Law of Planetary Motion

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The path is approximately circular so F = mrw2.
 

Therefore

GM = r3w2
 
and, as w = 2p/T we have    
 

 

This is a statement of Kepler’s third law.

This is further evidence to support the inverse square law of gravitation.

 

© David Hoult 2008