STUDENT NAME: _____________________________

Class ___________

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Teacher’s Name: ______________________

CAROLINE CHISHOLM CATHOLIC COLLEGE

PHYSICS – UNIT 3
AOS#1 SAC
 Test on Fields

Date: Thursday, 10th May 2018

Reading Time: 10 minutes
Writing Time: 60 minutes
Total Marks: 30 marks

This assessment task contributes 33% of the Physics Score for the Unit 3
internal assessment.
Two A4 sheets (both sides) of notes are permitted.
Scientific calculators must be used.

Question 1
(1+1 = 2 marks)

An 60 kg astronaut is strapped to rocket that is launched directly from a = 20 m/s2

Earth’s surface upwards at an initial rate of 15 m/s2 to escape the planet’s
gravity.

1a. Calculate the apparent weight of the astronaut during the initial stages
of the rocket’s launch.

1b. When the astronaut reaches a sufficient altitude they experience a sensation of apparent
weightlessness. Describe the conditions that result in this sensation.
Question 2
(1+1+1+2 = 5 marks)

Jupiter has over 69 known moons. Use the table of information below to answer the
following questions.

Name Orbital Radius (km)

Europa 670,900
Ganymede 1,070,400
Io 421,700

2a. Provided that Europa has an orbital period of 3.75 Earth days, use Kepler’s Harmonic
Law to calculate the orbital period of Ganymede.

2b. Use Kepler’s Harmonic Law to calculate Io’s orbital period in Earth days.

2c. Calculate the orbital velocity of Io as it moves around Jupiter.

2d. Use Newton’s Law of Gravitation to calculate the mass of Jupiter

(Use: G = 6.67 x 10-11).
Question 3
(1+2 = 3 marks)

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a multipurpose spacecraft designed to conduct

reconnaissance and exploration operations of Mars from orbit. It has a mass of 1.0 tonne and
orbits Mars at a radius of 40,000 km.

3a. If the mass of Mars is 6.4 x 1023 kg calculate the gravitation force that keeps the Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter in operation.

3b. The graph below describes the changes in the gravitational field between 40,000 km and
44,000 km from the centre of Mars. Calculate the amount of Energy required to reset the
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter from its orbit of 40,000 km to an orbit of 44,000 km.

0.03

Gravity,
0.025g* (N/kg)

0.02

0.015

0.01

0.005

0
40000 40500 41000 41500 42000 42500 43000 43500 44000 44500
Altitude (km)
Question 4
(1+1+1 = 3 marks)

Two electrical point charges are described in the diagram below.

−19
e=−1.602 ×10 C

4a. Draw the nature of the electric field created by these two point charges on the above
diagram.

4b. Calculate the electrostatic force created by both point charges when they are set 9.0 nm
apart.
(Use: k = 9.0 x 109)

4c. Calculate the mass of a drop of ionised Mercury of charge +4.0 x 10-11 C suspended above
a conducting plate of +6.5 x 10-9 C at a distance of 2.0 cm.

2.0 cm

Question 5
(2+1+1 = 4 marks)
The diagram below shows a simple DC motor. The coil is square with a length of 36 cm
and has 100 turns. The magnetic field is 4.0 x 10-2 T. The current is 20A.
5a. Explain the function of the commutator in the DC motor?

5b. Calculate the torque of the coil (on side AB) when it is positioned as shown in the above
diagram.

5c. Calculate the torque of the coil (on side AB) when it has rotated 90 degrees from the
position shown.

Question 6
(2+2 = 4 marks)

A magnet brought near an old-fashioned TV screen with a cathode ray tube severely distorts
its picture by altering the path of the electrons that make its phosphors glow. The electrons
are accelerated from rest across a potential difference of 15 kV

6a. Provided that the mass of an electron is 9.1 x 10-31 kg and it carries a negative charge of
1.602 x 10-19 C, calculate the speed of a single electron.
6b. calculate the radius of curvature of the path of an electron perpendicular to a magnetic
field of strength of 0.400 T.

Question 7
(2+2+1 = 5 marks)

The Apollo missions by NASA in the 1960s were instigated to explore and research the
Earth’s Moon.

7a. Provided the Moon orbits the Earth with a period of 28 days along an orbital radius of
384,400 km, use Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation to show that the mass of the Earth is
close to 6.0 x 1024 kg.

7b. Provided the net gravitational force acting on a spacecraft located between the Earth and
the Moon is zero at a distance of 345,500 km from the centre of the Earth, calculate the mass
of the Moon.
7c. Explain why it would take more energy to launch a spacecraft from the Earth than the
Moon.

Question 8
(1+1+1+2 = 5 marks)

An electron gun produces thermal electrons at its cathode which are accelerated across an
electric field of width 40 cm by a potential difference of 40 kV.

8a. Calculate the strength of the electric field.

8b. Determine the speed of the electrons when they pass through the anode.

8c. The storage ring uses bending magnets of field strength, x, as shown in the diagram
below. Determine if the electrons follow the paths of either A, B or C.
 Answer:

8d. If the electrons track along the curve of a radius of 14 cm calculate the strength of the
magnetic field.

End of Task