PHYSICAL GEODESY scientist John Michell and Dutch engineer

Willebrord Snell.
HANDOUT 1
The first modern geodesic was designed
in 1882 by German mathematician
WHAT IS PHYSICAL GEODESY Eduard Rheticus.

• Physical geodesy is the study of the Physical geodesy techniques are also
physical properties of the gravity field used to study the Earth’s oblateness.
of the Earth, the geopotential, with a This is a feature of the Earth’s mass
view to their application in geodesy. distribution that is associated with a tilt
• The study is concerned with the of the Earth whose axis is tilted 23.5°
Earth’s shape and other spheroidal with respect to its orbital plane.
properties, such as its oblateness or GRAVITY
tilt.
Gravity is the force that pulls all objects
• Examples of practical applications of in the universe toward each other. On
physical geodesy are GPS positioning, Earth, gravity pulls all objects
satellite navigation systems, and "downward" toward the center of the
estimating surface elevation from planet. According to Sir Isaac Newton's
satellite imagery. Universal Law of Gravitation, the
• Physical geodesy studies the Earth’s gravitational attraction between two
gravitational field and its effect on bodies is stronger when the masses of
objects within it. the objects are greater and closer
together.
• It gives hints about the shape and
size of the Earth based on This rule applies to the Earth's
measurements of its gravitational gravitational field as well. Because the
field around some selected point on Earth rotates and its mass and density
the surface. vary at different locations on the planet,
gravity also varies.
• The field strength of gravity is
obtained using gravimeters, which The effect of the Earth's gravity on this
measure the weight force hypothetical world mean sea level is
(gravitational acceleration) acting on represented by the geoid. However,
an object as it is dragged across the because the Earth's gravity is not equal
ground by gravity in different places. in all places, this hypothetical ocean is
not perfectly smooth. The strength of the
HISTORY OF PHYSICAL GEODESY Earths' gravity, and consequent effect on
The history of physical geodesy begins the shape of the geoid is represented by
with work by early Greek and Chinese color variations in this image.
mathematicians.
The ancient Egyptians developed a
technique of measuring the horizontal
length of a pyramid by dragging a rope
across it in different places, thus
establishing the length of the sides twice.
The ancient Greeks measured the heights
of pyramids by sighting through high-
quality optical devices called oculi, which
allowed them to measure high places
more accurately than Egyptians.
They also measured heights reliably by
constructing pendulums that were
suspended on similar cords or cables. Earth's gravity measured by NASA GRACE
mission, showing deviations from the
Precision measurements of height were theoretical gravity of an idealized,
made in the 17th century by English smooth Earth, the so-called Earth

ENGR. JAYMARK ECHANO

PHYSICAL GEODESY
ellipsoid. Red shows the areas where both objects and inversely proportional to
gravity is stronger than the smooth, the square of the distance that separates
standard value, and blue reveals areas their centers.
where gravity is weaker.
If the mass of one of the objects is
doubled, then the force of gravity
between them is doubled. If the mass of
one of the objects is tripled, then the
force of gravity between them is tripled.
If the mass of both of the objects is
doubled, then the force of gravity
between them is quadrupled; and so on.
Newton's conclusion about the
magnitude of gravitational forces is
summarized symbolically as

HISTORY OF GRAVITY
Sir Isaac Newton theorized the Law of
Gravitation in 1687. Newton’s idea was
that gravity was a universal force acting
between any two objects.
Universal law of gravitation states that
every body attracts every other body with
a force. This force is directly proportional
to the product of their masses and
inversely proportional to the square of
the distance between them.
G =6.673 x 10-11 N m2/kg2
F= m • a
Newton knew that the force that caused
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
the apple's acceleration (gravity) must be
dependent upon the mass of the apple. Determine the force of gravitational
And since the force acting to cause the attraction between the earth (m = 5.98 x
apple's downward acceleration also 1024 kg) and a 75-kg GE student if the
causes the earth's upward acceleration student is standing at sea level, a distance of
(Newton's third law), that force must also 6.38 x 106 m from earth's center.
depend upon the mass of the earth.
F= (6.673x10 -11 )*(5.98x10 24)*(75)
So for Newton, the force of gravity acting
between the earth and any other object (6.38 x 106)2
is directly proportional to the mass of the F=735 N
earth, directly proportional to the mass of
the object, and inversely proportional to
the square of the distance that separates
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
the centers of the earth and the object.
Determine the force of gravitational
Newton's place in the Gravity Hall of
attraction between the earth (m = 5.98 x
Fame is not due to his discovery of
1024 kg) and a 75-kg GE student if the
gravity, but rather due to his discovery
student is traveling in an airplane at 40000
that gravitation is universal. ALL objects
feet above earth's surface. 6.38 x 106 mean
attract each other with a force of
sea level to earth’s center.
gravitational attraction. Gravity is
universal. r= 6.38 x 106 + 12,192
This force of gravitational attraction is r=6392192
directly dependent upon the masses of

ENGR. JAYMARK ECHANO

PHYSICAL GEODESY
F= (6.673x10 -11 )*(5.98x10 24)*(75)
(6392192)2
F=732 N

SAMPLE PROBLEM:
The force of gravitational attraction between
the earth (m = 5.98 x 10 24 kg) and a GE
student is 600 N. find the weight of the
student if she is standing at a distance of
6.38 x 106 m. mean sea level to earth’s
center.
M2=(F)*(r2)
(G)*(M1)
M2=(650)*(6.38 x 106)2
(6.673 x 10-11)*(5.98 x 10 24)
M2=61 kg

-END-

ENGR. JAYMARK ECHANO

PHYSICAL GEODESY