AL/PHY/EM/Ex3.1/P.

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Exercise3.1 – EM : Gravitational fields
Section A – Structural Questions

Question 1 – 1990 – II - 7
(a) (i) Explain what is meant by 'Parking orbits' for satellites. (2m)
(ii) If the radius of the Earth is 6 400 km, and the acceleration due to gravity at the Earth's
surface is 10 ms2, find the height of a satellite which is in a 'parking orbit'. Assume the
Earth to be a sphere of uniform density. (4m)

Question 2 – 1991 – II – 7

(Given : GME = 4.0  1014 N m2 kg-1 where G = gravitational constant.

ME - mass of earth )

A spacecraft (mass m) has just finished its mission on the moon and is planning to return to the earth.
Figure 7.1, which is not to scale, shows how the gravitational potential, V, between the surface of the
moon and the surface of the earth varies along the line of centres.
(a) Explain why there is a point of maximum on the graph. (2m)

(b) If the spacecraft is to just succeed in reaching the earth,

(i) what is the minimum energy per unit mass that has to be supplied ?
(ii) What is the minimum speed of the spacecraft at take off ? (3m)

(c) A points A and B, the spacecraft is so far away from the moon that its gravitational attraction on
the spacecraft is negligible. The spacecraft is coasting through space with its motors off. If it had
a velocity of 5 200 m s1 when at point A, 28 000 km from the centre of the earth, what would be
its velocity at point B, 20 000 km from the centre of the earth ? (3m)

(d) As the spacecraft is returning to the earth at a very speed, frictional force between the spacecraft
and the atmosphere would cause its surface to reach a very high temperature. In order to protect
the astronauts, what sort of material should the spacecraft be made of and why ? (2m)
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Exercise3.1 – EM : Gravitational fields

Question 3 – 1993 – II - 7
(a) A rocket is fired to launch a spacecraft with an astronaut into an orbit round the earth. If the
initial acceleration of the rocket is 100 m s 2 and the mass of the astronaut is 60 kg, find the
supporting force acting on the astronaut
(i) before the rocket is fired from the earth's surface;
(ii) during the first few seconds after firing.
Explain briefly why the astronaut should lie down in a bed-shaped seat during launching.(3m)

(b) Now the spacecraft with the astronaut is moving round the earth in a circular orbit of radius r
with its engine turned off.

(i) Derive an expression for the total mechanical energy E of the spacecraft in terms of G,
ME, m and r, where G = gravitational constant
ME = mass of the earth
m = mass of the spacecraft (3m)
(ii) Sketch a graph showing how E varies with r for values of r greater that the earth's radius
RE. (2m)

(iii) What is the extra energy required for the spacecraft to escape from the earth's gravitational
field ? Express your answer in term of G, ME, m and r. (2m)

(c) The astronaut inside the orbiting spacecraft is said to be 'weightless'.

A student explains that since the orbit is at a great distance from the earth, the acceleration due
to gravity and the weight of the astronaut are both zero. Do you agree with the student ? Explain
your answer. (3m)
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Exercise3.1 – EM : Gravitational fields

Question 4 – 1994 – I - 3
The value of gravitational potential due to a planet are given in Table 3.1 :

Distance from the surface of the planet / m Gravitational potential / J kg1

0  62.53  106
790 000  55.66  106
800 000  55.58  106
810 000  55.50  106
infinity 0
(a) If the gravitational potential is taken to be zero at an infinite distance from the planet, the
gravitational potential at any point closer to the planet than infinity will be negative. What
property of gravitational force ensures this ? (1m)

(b) A satellite of mass 2000 kg is raised from the planet's surface to a height of 800 000 m above its
surface.
(i) Find the change in gravitational potential energy of the satellite. (2m)
(ii) Calculate the kinetic energy of the satellite when it moves round the planet in a circular
orbit at such a height. (3m)

(c) Calculate the minimum speed with which a spacecraft must be fired from the planet's surface so
as to escape from it. (Neglect air resistance and assume the spacecraft itself is unpowered.)
(2m)
(d) Using the information from Table 3.1, estimate the gravitational field strength.
(i) at a height of 800 000 m above the surface of the planet. (2m)
(ii) at the surface of the planet. (Show your working) (2m)

Question 5 – 1998 – IA - 1
A space shuttle crew is sent to service the Hubble Space Telescope H which is in a circular orbit
6.0105 m above the earth’s surface. The crew succeed in moving the space shuttle S into the same
orbit as H and its thrust rocket are shut down. The telescope is positioned a few kilometres in front as
shown in Figure 1.1. Let G be the gravitational constant and ME the mass of the earth.
(Given : radius of the earth = 6.4  106 m)

Figure 1.1
(a) What is the apparent weight of an astronaut of mass 75 kg inside the shuttle ? (1m)

(b) (i) Calculate the value of the gravitational field strength in the orbit. (3m)
(ii) Calculate the speed and period of the shuttle in the orbit. (4m)

(c) (i) Show that the total mechanical energy of the shuttle is proportional to 1/r, where r is the
radius of its orbit. (2m)
(ii) In order to overtake the telescope, the shuttle must first spiral into an orbit of a smaller
radius in which it would have a larger angular speed. Using the result in (c)(i), determine
whether the shuttle should increase or decrease its original speed so that it can get into a
lower orbit. Explain your answer. (2m)
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Exercise3.1 – EM : Gravitational fields
Question 6 – 1999 – IB - 9
In 1989, the spacecraft ‘Voyager 2’ was sent from the earth to the Neptunian system. Before this
expedition, two satellites of Neptune had been discovered, namely Triton and Nereid. Six more
satellites were discovered after this expedition. Their diameters d, periods T and orbital radii about
Neptune r are as follows:

Satellite d / km T/hr r/ 103 km

New:
1989 N1 420 26.9 117.6
1989 N2 200 13.3 73.6
1989 N3 140 8.0 52.5
1989 N4 160 9.5 60.0
1989 N5 90 7.5 50.0
1989 N6 50 7.1 48.2
Previously known:
Triton 2720 140.9 354.3
Nereid 340 8640 5500
Given : radius of the earth = 6400 km

(a) (i) Calculate the gravitational potential at the earth’s surface. (2m)
(ii) Find the minimum energy supplied to each kilogram of the mass of the spacecraft so as to
enable it to escape from the earth’s gravitational pull. Show your working. (2m)

(b) Suggest a reason why 1989 N1 was not discovered from earth evern though it is bigger than
Nereid. (1m)

r 3 GM
(c) It can be shown that the orbital radius r and period T satisfy the relation 
T 2 42
(i) What is the major assumption for the validity of the above relation? (1m)
(ii) Using this information from the newly discovered satellites 1989 N2 to 1989 N6 of
Neptune, plot a suitable graph to find the mass of Neptune. Show your working.
(Given : Gravitational constant G = 6.7  1011 Nm2 kg2). (6m)

Section B – Essay Questions

Question 1 – 1995  IIB  1

(c) (i) For a planet revolving round the sun in a circular orbit of radius r and with period T,
show that r3 = KT2 where K is a constant.
(ii) Is the equation r3 = KT2 , with the same constant K for the planet, also valid for a satellite
circling round the earth ? Explain briefly. (4m)

Question 2 – 1997  IIB  1

(b) Using a spring balance, a small object is found to weigh heavier at the north pole than at the
equator.
(i) State and explain TWO reasons for this observation.
(ii) What would the result be if the object is weighed again at the two places using a beam
balance ? Explain briefly. (5m)
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Exercise3.1 – EM : Gravitational fields
Section C – MC Questions

(1) – 1992  5
An object of mass m is released from a spacecraft at a distance 3 R from the centre of the Earth which
has radius R and mass M. On reaching the Earth's surface, the increase in kinetic energy of the object
is

A. Gm M / (3 R) B. 2 Gm M / (3 R) C. Gm M / (2 R)
D. Gm M / R E. 2 Gm M / R

(2) – 1993  10
The velocity of escape from the earth is V o. For a planet with radius twice that of the earth and with
density three times that of the earth, the velocity of escape from the planet would be

A. 3Vo / 2 B. 2 Vo C. 6Vo
D. 2 3Vo E. 2 6Vo

(3) – 1993  11
For planets or satellites in circular orbits around a celestial body such as the sun or the earth, the
period T is related to the radius of orbit r by Kepler's 3 rd Law T2 = kr3 where k is a constant.

Which of the following statements concerning the constant k is correct ?

A. It is a dimensionless constant whose value is not affected by the choice of units.

B. It is a universal constant whose value is not affected by the choice of units.
C. It is a universal constant whose value depends on the choice of units.
D. It would have a certain value for the earth moving around the sun, but a different value
for another planet moving around the sun.
E. It would have a certain value for all planets moving around the sun, but a different
value for all satellites moving around the earth.

(4) – 1993  12
A communication satellite appears stationary vertically above an observer at the equator. The height of
the satellite above the observer is 3.6  107 m. Calculate the mass of the earth.

Given : Radius of the earth = 6.4  106 m

Gravitational constant = 6.7  10-11 N m2 kg-2

A. 4.5  1024 kg B. 5.0  1024 kg C. 5.5  1024 kg

D. 6.0  1024 kg E. 6.5  1024 kg
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Exercise3.1 – EM : Gravitational fields
(5) – 1994  11
Two satellites A and B of the same mass are moving in circular orbits round the earth. The radius of
A's orbit is r and that of B's orbit is 2r. Their total mechanical energies are EA and EB is correct ?
(Gravitational potential energy is taken to be zero at infinity)

A. EA > 0 and EB = 2 EA
B. EA > 0 and EB = 1 2 EA
C. EA > 0 and EB = 2EA
D. EA < 0 and EB = 2 EA
E. EA < 0 and EB = 1 2 EA

(6) – 1995  11
On a certain planet, an object is thrown vertically upwards with an initial velocity of v 1 and it returns
to the ground after time t. If the velocity of escape from the planet is v2, find the radius of the planet.
2 v 12 t 4 v 12 t 2 v 22 t
A. B. C.
v2 v2 v1
v 22 t v 22 t
D. E.
4 v1 2 v1

(7) – 1997 - 10
A low altitude satellite near the earth's surface has a speed of 7.90 km s -1 The radius of the earth is
about 4 times that of the moon and the ratio of the average density of the earth to that of the moon is
about 5 : 4 . The speed of a low altitude satellite near he moon's surface would be

A. 1.77 km s1 B. 2.21 km s1 C. 2.47 km s1

D. 3.57 km s1 E. 4.42 km s1

(8) – 1998  17
The mass ratio of the earth and the moon is 81:1 and the earth-moon separation is 3.8  108 m. At
which position between the earth and the moon is the gravitational potential at a maximum? (Ignore
all other planets.)

A. On the surface of the earth B. 3.4  108 m from the earth

C. 19  108 m from the earth D. 0.4  108 m from the earth
E. On the surface of the moon
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Exercise3.1 – EM : Gravitational fields

(10) – 1999  18
Which of the following statements about a communication satellite in parking orbit above the earth’s
surface is incorrect?

A. It is accelerating towards the centre of the earth at all times.

B. It must be in a circular orbit above the earth’s equator.
C. It is always vertically above the same place on the earth’s surface.
D. It must be rotating in the same sense and with the same angular speed as the earth.
E. It is at a height where its gravitational potential energy is numerically equal to its kinetic
energy.