MEDIUM
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Earn 100

Mercury, the smallest of the eight recognised planets, has a diameter of 4.88×106m 4.88×106m and a mean density of 5.4×103kg m-3. A man has a weight of 900 N on the Earth's surface. What would his weight be on the surface of Mercury?

Important Questions on Gravitational Fields

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Calculate the potential energy of a spacecraft of mass 250 kg, when it is 20 000 km from the planet Mars. (Mass of Mars = 6.4 x 1023  kg, radius of Mars =3.4×106m.)
MEDIUM
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

Ganymede is the largest of Jupiter's moons, with a mass of 1.48×1023kg. It orbits Jupiter with an orbital radius of 1.07×106km and it rotates on its own axis with a period of 7.15 days. It has been suggested that to monitor an unmanned landing craft on the surface of Ganymede a geostationary satellite should be placed in orbit around Ganymede. Calculate the orbital radius of the proposed geostationary satellite.  

MEDIUM
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

Ganymede is the largest of Jupiter's moons, with a mass of 1.48×1023kg. It orbits Jupiter with an orbital radius of 1.07×106km and it rotates on its own axis with a period of 7.15 days. It has been suggested that to monitor an unmanned landing craft on the surface of Ganymede a geostationary satellite should be placed in orbit around Ganymede.

(b). Suggest a difficulty that might be encountered in achieving a geostationary orbit for this moon.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

The Earth orbits the Sun with a period of 1 year at an orbital radius of 1.50×1011 m. Calculate:

(a). The orbital speed of the Earth

MEDIUM
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

The Earth orbits the Sun with a period of 1 year at an orbital radius of 1.50×1011 m. Calculate the centripetal acceleration of the Earth.

MEDIUM
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

The Earth orbits the Sun with a period of 1 year at an orbital radius of 1.50×1011 m. Calculate the Sun's gravitational field strength at the Earth

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

The planet Mars has a mass of 6.4×1023kg and a diameter of 6790 km. Calculate the acceleration due to gravity at the planet's surface.

 

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

The planet Mars has a mass of 6.4×1023kg and a diameter of 6790 km. Calculate the gravitational potential at the surface of the planet.