IBDP – Higher Level

Worksheet - 8
Physics Grade: 11
Gravitational
Name: ……………………………………….………………………………….. Date: 18/11/2018

1. Gravitational field strength at a point may be defined as

A. the force on a small mass placed at the point.

B. the force per unit mass on a small mass placed at the point.

C. the work done to move unit mass from infinity to the point.

D. the work done per unit mass to move a small mass from infinity to the point.
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2. The acceleration of free fall of a small sphere of mass 5.0 × 10–3 kg when close to the surface of
Jupiter is 25 ms–2. The gravitational field strength at the surface of Jupiter is

A. 2.0 × 10–4 N kg–1.

B. 1.3 × 10–1 N kg–1.

C. 25 N kg–1.

D. 5.0 × 103 N kg–1.

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3. Newton’s law of gravitation for the force F between two point objects of masses M and m,
separated by a distance d may be written as

Fd2  Mm.

The expression may also be used for the force of attraction between the Sun and the Earth,
although they are not point masses. This is because

A. the gravitational constant G is not involved in the expression.

B. the force between the Sun and the Earth is very large.

C. the separation of the Sun and the Earth is much greater than their radii.

D. the mass of the Earth is much less than the mass of the Sun.
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4. Planet X has radius R and mass M. Planet Y has radius 2R and mass 8M.

Which one of the following is the correct value of the ratio

gravitatio nal field strength at surface of planet X

?
gravitatio nal field strength at surface of planet Y

A. 4

B. 2

1
C.
2

1
D.
4
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5. In Newton’s universal law of gravitation the masses are assumed to be

A. extended masses.

B. masses of planets.

C. point masses.

D. spherical masses.
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6. The diagram below shows two planets X and Y of masses 2M and M respectively. The centres
of the two planets are separated by a distance 2d. Point P is midway between planets X and Y.
The mass of each planet may be assumed to be concentrated at its centre.

planet X planet Y

2d

The magnitude of the gravitational field strength at point P due to the two planets is

A. zero.

B. GM .
d2

C. 2GM .
d2

D. 3GM .
d2

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7. The diagram below illustrates the planet Saturn.

Saturn

A ring

2.72 10 8m

Saturn has several rings, each of which consists of many small particles that orbit the planet.
Saturn may be considered to be a sphere with its mass M concentrated at its centre.

(a) Deduce that, for a particle in one ring moving in a circular orbit of radius R, the linear
speed v of the particle in its orbit is given by the expression

GM = Rv2.

Explain your reasoning.

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(b) One ring, the A ring, has an outer diameter of 2.72  108 m. The mass of Saturn is 5.69 
1026 kg. A particle orbits on the outer edge of this ring. Determine the time for the
particle to complete one orbit of Saturn.

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7. This question is about gravitation.

(a) State Newton’s universal law of gravitation.

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(b) The average distance of Earth from the Sun is 1.5  1011 m. The gravitational field
strength due to the Sun at the Earth is 6.0×10–3N kg–1.

Estimate the mass of the Sun.

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