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1. This question is about gravitation.
(a) (i) Define gravitational potential at a point in a
gravitational field.
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(2)
(ii) Explain why values of gravitational potential have negative
values.
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The Earth and the Moon may be considered to be two isolated
point masses. The masses of the Earth and the Moon are 5.98 1024kg
and 7.35 1022 kg respectively and their separation is 3.84 108 m,
as shown below. The diagram is not to scale.
Earth Moonmass = 5 98 10. kg 24 mass = 7 35 10. kg22
P
3 84 10. m8
(b) (i) Deduce that, at point P, 3.46 108m from Earth, the
gravitational field strength is approximately zero.
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(ii) The gravitational potential at P is 1.28 106 J kg1.
Calculate the minimum speed of a space probe at P so that it can
escape from the attraction of the Earth and the Moon.
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(Total 10 marks)
2. This question is about gravitation.
A binary star consists of two stars that each follow circular
orbits about a fixed point P as shown below.
star mass P star massM1 M2
R1 R2
The stars have the same orbital period T. Each star may be
considered to act as a point mass with its mass concentrated at its
centre. The stars, of masses M1 and M2, orbit at distances R1 and
R2 respectively from point P.
(a) State the name of the force that provides the centripetal
force for the motion of the stars.
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(1)
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(b) By considering the force acting on one of the stars, deduce
that the orbital period T is given by the expression
( ) .4 22112
22 RRR
GMT +=
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(c) The star of mass M1 is closer to the point P than the star
of mass M2. Using the answer in (b), state and explain which star
has the larger mass.
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(Total 6 marks)
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3. This question is about a spacecraft.
A spacecraft above Earths atmosphere is moving away from the
Earth. The diagram below shows two positions of the spacecraft.
Position A and position B are well above Earths atmosphere.
Earth A B
At position A, the rocket engine is switched off and the
spacecraft begins coasting freely. At position A, the speed of the
spacecraft is 5.37 103 m s1 and at position B, 5.10 103 m s1. The
time to travel from position A to position B is 6.00 102 s.
(a) (i) Explain why the speed is changing between positions A
and B.
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(ii) Calculate the average acceleration of the spacecraft
between positions A and B.
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(iii) Estimate the average gravitational field strength between
positions A and B. Explain your working.
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(b) The diagram below shows the variation with distance from
Earth of the kinetic energy Ek of the spacecraft. The radius of
Earth is R.
energy Ek
R0
0 distance
On the diagram above, draw the variation with distance from the
surface of Earth of the gravitational potential energy Ep of the
spacecraft.
(2) (Total 8 marks)
4. This question is about gravitational potential.
(a) Define gravitational potential at a point in a gravitational
field.
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(b) A planet has mass M and radius R0. The magnitude g0 of the
gravitational field strength at the surface of a planet is
20
0 RMGg =
where G is the gravitational constant.
Use this expression to deduce that the gravitational potential
V0 at the surface of the planet is given by
V0 = g0R0.
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(c) The graph below shows the variation with distance R from the
centre of the planet of the gravitational potential V. The radius
R0 of the planet = 5.0 106 m. Values of V are not shown for R <
R0.
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5
8.0
R / 10 m7
V /
10
Jkg
71
Use the graph to determine the magnitude of the gravitational
field strength at the surface of the planet.
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(d) A satellite of mass 3.2 103 kg is launched from the surface
of the planet. Use the graph to estimate the minimum launch speed
that the satellite must have in order to reach a height of 2.0 107
m above the surface of the planet. (You may assume that it reaches
its maximum speed immediately after launch.)
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(4)
(Total 12 marks)
5. This question is about the energy of orbiting satellites.
(a) Define the term gravitational potential at a point in a
gravitational field.
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(b) A satellite is in orbit about Earth at a distance R from the
centre of Earth. The Earth may be regarded as a point mass situated
at its centre.
Deduce that the kinetic energy of the satellite is numerically
equal to half the potential energy of the satellite.
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(c) The distance between the centre of the Moon and the centre
of Earth is about 4.0 108 m. The Moon may also be regarded as a
point mass situated at its centre. The orbital period of the Moon
about the Earth is 2.4 106 s.
(i) Calculate the orbital speed of the Moon.
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(ii) Use your answer in (b) and (c)(i) to calculate a value for
the gravitational potential due to Earth at a distance of 4.0 108 m
from its centre.
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(Total 9 marks)
6. This question is about orbital motion.
(a) State Keplers third law (the law of periods).
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(1)
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(b) A satellite of mass m is in orbit of radius r about Earth.
The mass of Earth is ME and the orbital period of the satellite is
T.
State, for the satellite,
(i) the name of the force that provides the centripetal
force.
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(ii) the orbital speed in terms of T and r.
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(c) Keplers third law may be applied to the satellite orbiting
the Earth. Use your answers to (b) to deduce that in Keplers third
law there is a constant K given by
K = E
24GM
.
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(d) State an expression for the gravitational field strength g
at the surface of the Earth in terms of ME and the radius of Earth
RE.
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(e) For the Earth, the gravitational field strength, g is 10Nkg1
and the radius RE is 6.4106m. Using your answers to (c) and (d),
deduce that the orbital period of a satellite that is at a height
RE above the surface of Earth is 1.4104s.
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(Total 10 marks)
7. This question is about gravitational fields.
(a) Define gravitational field strength.
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(b) The gravitational field strength at the surface of Jupiter
is 25 N kg1 and the radius of Jupiter is 7.1 107 m.
(i) Derive an expression for the gravitational field strength at
the surface of a planet in terms of its mass M, its radius R and
the gravitational constant G.
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(ii) Use your expression in (b)(i) above to estimate the mass of
Jupiter.
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(2)
(Total 6 marks)
8. This question is about gravitational fields.
(a) Define gravitational field strength.
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(b) The gravitational field strength at the surface of Jupiter
is 25 N kg1 and the radius of Jupiter is 7.1 107 m.
(i) Derive an expression for the gravitational field strength at
the surface of a planet in terms of its mass M, its radius R and
the gravitational constant G.
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(ii) Use your expression in (b)(i) above to estimate the mass of
Jupiter.
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(Total 6 marks)
9. This question is about gravitational field strength and
gravitational potential.
(a) Define gravitational field strength.
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(b) State an expression for the magnitude of the gravitational
field strength gh at a point height h above a planet in terms of
the mass of the planet M, its radius R and the gravitational
constant G.
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(c) The radius of Mars is 3.4 106 m and the magnitude of the
gravitational field strength at a height of 1.2 106 m above its
surface is 1.8 N kg1. Use your answer to (b) to deduce that the
magnitude of the gravitational potential at height of 1.2 106 m
above the surface of Mars is 8.3 106 J kg1.
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(d) A lump of rock is moving with speed v, towards Mars. Its
closest distance of approach to Mars is at distance 1.8 106 m above
the surface of Mars. Deduce that the lump of rock will go into
circular orbit about Mars if the speed v is less than 3.0 103 m
s1.
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(Total 8 marks)
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10. This question is about gravitational potential.
(a) Define gravitational potential at a point.
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(b) A meteorite moves towards the Moon from a long distance
away.
(i) On the axes below, sketch a graph to show the variation with
distance from the centre of the Moon of the gravitational potential
of the meteorite as it approaches the Moon. The radius of the Moon
is r.
gravitationalpotential
+ve
ve
r0
distance from centre of Moon
(2)
(ii) The radius r of the Moon is 1.7 106 m and its mass is 7.3
1022 kg.
Estimate the impact speed with which the meteorite hits the
surface of the Moon.
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(iii) Suggest one factor that will make the impact speed greater
than your estimate.
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(c) A similar meteorite moves towards the Earth from a long
distance away.
Suggest how the total energy of the meteorite varies with
distance when the meteorite is
(i) outside the Earths atmosphere;
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(ii) inside the Earths atmosphere.
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(Total 10 marks)
11. This question is about gravitational field strength near the
surface of a planet.
(a) (i) Define gravitational field strength.
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(ii) State why gravitational field strength at a point is
numerically equal to the acceleration of free fall at that
point.
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(b) A certain planet is a uniform sphere of mass M and radius R
of 5.1 106 m.
(i) State an expression, in terms of M and R, for the
gravitational field strength at the surface of the planet. State
the name of any other symbol you may use.
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(ii) A mountain on the surface of the planet has a height of
2000 m. Suggest why the value of the gravitational field strength
at the base of the mountain and at the top of the mountain are
almost equal.
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(c) A small sphere is projected horizontally near the surface of
the planet in (b). Photographs of the sphere are taken at time
intervals of 0.20 s. The images of the sphere are placed on a grid
and the result is shown below.
point ofrelease
1.00 cm represents 1.00 m
The first photograph is taken at time t = 0. Each 1.00 cm on the
grid represents a distance of 1.00 m in both the horizontal and the
vertical directions.
Use the diagram to
(i) explain why air resistance on the planet is negligible;
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(ii) calculate a value for the acceleration of free fall at the
surface of the planet.
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(d) Use your answer to (c)(ii) and data from (b) to calculate
the mass of the planet.
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(Total 13 marks)
12. This question is about the possibility of generating
electrical power using a satellite orbiting the
Earth.
(a) Define gravitational field strength.
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(b) Use the definition of gravitational field strength to deduce
that
GM = g0R2
where M is the mass of the Earth, R its radius and g0 is the
gravitational field strength at the surface of the Earth. (You may
assume that the Earth is a uniform sphere with its mass
concentrated at its centre.)
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A space shuttle orbits the Earth and a small satellite is
launched from the shuttle. The satellite carries a conducting cable
connecting the satellite to the shuttle. When the satellite is a
distance L from the shuttle, the cable is held straight by motors
on the satellite.
Diagram 1
L
conducting cable
Earths magnetic field
shuttledirection of orbitspeed v
EARTH
satellite
As the shuttle orbits the Earth with speed v, the conducting
cable is moving at right angles to the Earths magnetic field. The
magnetic field vector B makes an angle to a line perpendicular to
the conducting cable as shown in diagram 2. The velocity vector of
the shuttle is directed out of the plane of the paper.
Diagram 2
conducting cable
B
(c) On diagram 2, draw an arrow to show the direction of the
magnetic force on an electron in the conducting cable. Label the
arrow F.
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(d) State an expression for the force F on the electron in terms
of B, v, e and , where B is the magnitude of the magnetic field
strength and e is the electron charge.
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(e) Hence deduce an expression for the emf E induced in the
conducting wire.
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(f) The shuttle is in an orbit that is 300 km above the surface
of the Earth. Using the expression
GM = g0R2
and given that R = 6.4 106 m and g0 = 10 N kg1, deduce that the
orbital speed v of the satellite is 7.8 103 m s1.
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(g) The magnitude of the magnetic field strength is 6.3 106 T
and the angle = 20. Estimate the length L of the cable required in
order to generate an emf of 1 kV.
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(Total 14 marks)