Motion of Planets and Satellites

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Motion of Planets and Satellites: Overview

This topic covers concepts such as Motion of Satellites, Orbital Speed of Satellites, Orbital Time Period of Satellites, Gravitational Potential Energy of Satellites, Kinetic Energy of Satellites, Conservation of Total Energy in Satellites, etc.

Important Questions on Motion of Planets and Satellites

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Satellites A and B are orbiting around the earth in orbits of ratio R and 4R, respectively. The ratio of their areal velocities is

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The figure shows the variation of energy with the orbit radius of a body in circular planetary motion. Find the correct statement about the curves A, B and C

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A satellite revolves in the geostationary orbit but in a direction east to west. The time interval between its successive passing about a point on the equator is 

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A satellite is launched into a circular orbit 1600 km above the surface of the earth. Find the period of revolution in nearest integer (in hours) if the radius of the earth is R=6400 km and the acceleration due to gravity is (Take g=10 m s-2 and π2=10). 

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Which of the following statement is always true for a binary star system?

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Polar satellites:

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A satellite is revolving in a circular orbit at a height h from the earth's surface (radius of earth R; h << R ). The minimum increase in its orbital velocity required, so that the satellite could escape from the earth's gravitational field, is close to (Neglect the effect of atmosphere.)

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A synchronous satellite goes around the earth once in every 24 h. What is the radius of orbit of the synchronous satellite in terms of the earth's radius?
(Given: mass of the earth, ME=5.98×1024 kg , radius of the earth, RE=6.37×106 m and universal gravitational constant, G=6.67×10-11N m2 kg-2)

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If due to air drag, the orbital radius of the earth decreases from R to R-R,RR, then the expression for increase in the orbital velocity v is:

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At perihelion, the mechanical energy of Pluto's orbit has:

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A satellite close to the earth is in orbit above the equator with a period of revolution of 1.5 hours. If it is above a point P on the equator at some time, it will be above P again after time

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Suppose the gravitational force varies inversely as the 4th power of the distance. If a satellite describes a circular orbit of radius R under the influence of this force, then the time period T of the orbit is proportional to

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The time period of a satellite of earth is 5 h. If the separation between the earth and the satellite is increased to 4 times the previous value, the new time period will become.

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The moon revolves round the earth 13 times in one year. If the ratio of sun-earth distance to earth-moon distance is 392, then the ratio of masses of sun and earth will be

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If the universal constant of gravitation were decreasing uniformly with time, then a satellite in orbit would still maintain its

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A body revolved around the sun 27 times faster than the earth. What is the ratio of their radii?

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The earth revolves round the sun in one year. If the distance between them becomes double, the new period of revolution will be-

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If mass of a satellite is doubled and time period remain constant the ratio of orbit in the two cases will be-

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The orbital speed of a satellite revolving nearby the earth is:

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A geostationary satellite orbits around the earth in a circular orbit of radius 36000 km. Then, the time period of a spy satellite orbiting a few hundred kilometres above the earth's surface REarth=6400 km will approximately be :