This question is about the gravitational fields of the Earth and its satellites.

1.
(a)  The Moon orbits the Earth with a time period of 27.3 days.

Show that the angular speed of the Moon is approximately 2.7 × 10−6 rad s−1.

(2)

(b)  Figure 1 shows an artificial satellite in a circular orbit of radius 4.5 × 105 km
from the centre of the Earth.

Figure 1

Calculate the gravitational field strength of the Earth at this radius.

gravitational field strength = _______________________ N kg-1

(2)

GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 1 of 11

(c)  The satellite and the Moon orbit the Earth at the same angular speed.

Calculate the centripetal acceleration of the satellite.

centripetal acceleration = _______________________ m s-2

(2)

(d)  Figure 2 shows two positions of the satellite and the Moon as they orbit the Earth.
The orbital radius of the satellite is greater than the orbital radius of the Moon but their
orbital periods are the same.

Figure 2

Explain how this satellite orbit is possible.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 2 of 11
 (e)  Figure 3 shows some resultant gravitational equipotential lines for the Earth and Moon
system.

Draw, on Figure 3, one gravitational field line from the Moon to K.

Figure 3

(1)
(Total 9 marks)

One of the moons of Jupiter is named Io.

2.
The mass of Io is 8.93 × 1022 kg.

The gravitational potential due to Io at its surface is −3.27 × 106 J kg−1.

(a)  State what is meant by a gravitational potential of −3.27 × 106 J kg−1 at the surface of Io.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 3 of 11

(b)  Show that the radius of Io is approximately 1.8 × 106 m.

(1)

A volcanic rock of mass 3.00 kg is ejected vertically upwards from the surface of Io with an initial
velocity of 760 m s−1.
The rock reaches a maximum height h above the surface of Io.

(c)  Show that the rock’s gravitational potential energy at height h is approximately −9 MJ.

(3)

(d)  Calculate h.

h = ______________________________ m
(2)

GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 4 of 11

 (e)  Another rock of greater mass is ejected vertically upwards from the surface with the same
initial velocity.

State and explain how the height reached by the rock of greater mass compares to h.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

This question is about comparing the surface conditions on Earth with those on K2-18b, a
3. recently discovered planet.

K2-18b orbits the star K2-18. K2-18 is a distance D from Earth.

Table 1 shows data for the planets Earth and K2-18b.

Table 1

Earth K2-18b

Mass of planet / kg 5.98 × 1024 5.33 × 1025

Radius of planet / m 6.37 × 106 1.43 × 107

Orbital radius of planet / m 1.50 × 1011 2.14 × 1010

(a)  Show that the gravitational field strength gk at the surface of K2-18b is given by

where
gE is the gravitational field strength at the surface of the Earth
RE is the radius of the Earth
Rk is the radius of K2-18b
ME is the mass of the Earth
Mk is the mass of K2-18b.
(2)

GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 5 of 11

(b)  Calculate gk.

gk = ____________________________ N kg−1
(1)

(c)  Calculate, in Earth days, the orbital period for K2-18b.

mass of the star K2-18 = 8.22 × 1029 kg

orbital period for K2-18b = ____________________________ Earth days

(3)

Table 2 shows data for the two stars: the Sun and K2-18.

Table 2

Sun K2-18

Radius of star / m 6.96 × 108 3.26 × 108

Power output of star / W 3.85 × 1026 9.01 × 1024

GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 6 of 11

(d)  Compare the intensity of the radiation received by planet K2-18b from its star K2-18 with
the intensity of the solar radiation received by the Earth from the Sun.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(3)

(e)  The figure below shows two rays of light from the Sun arriving at a point E on Earth.
The Sun subtends an angle of θ1 at point E.

GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 7 of 11

 θ2 is the angle subtended at point E on Earth by the star K2-18.

= 1.67 × 107

Calculate the distance D between the Earth and star K2-18.

D = ____________________________ m
(3)

(f)  Light from K2-18 passes through the atmosphere of K2-18b. This light is detected and
analysed when it arrives at the Earth.

State how the wavelengths present in this light can be determined. Go on to explain how
this gives information about the elements present in the atmosphere of K2-18b.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 14 marks)

GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 8 of 11

 Two charged bodies X and Y have the same size, and their surfaces are separated by a distance
4.
d.
The charge on X is QX and the charge on Y is QY.

The graph shows the variation of the resultant electric field strength E with position along the line
joining X and Y.

What are the relationships between the signs of QX and QY and between the magnitudes of QX
and QY?

Signs Magnitudes

The magnitude of QY is greater than

A QX and QY have opposite signs
the magnitude of QX

The magnitude of QX is greater than

B QX and QY have opposite signs
the magnitude of QY

The magnitude of QY is greater than

C QX and QY have the same sign
the magnitude of QX

QX and QY have the same sign The magnitude of QX is greater than

D
the magnitude of QY

(Total 1 mark)

GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 9 of 11

 Two charged objects are placed at different positions in the same uniform electric field.
5.
Which quantity must be the same for the two charged objects?

A electric field strength

B electric force

C electric potential

D electric potential energy

(Total 1 mark)

Identical positively charged particles are fixed at the points of a regular hexagon of side length x.
6.
The magnitude of each charge is Q.

What are the magnitudes of the resultant electric field strength and the resultant electric potential
at the centre of the hexagon?

Resultant electric field strength Resultant electric potential

A zero π

B zero

C zero

(Total 1 mark)

GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 10 of 11

 The separation between the Earth and the Sun varies.
7.
The minimum separation is 1.7% smaller than the average separation.

The maximum separation is 1.7% greater than the average separation.

What is   ?

A 0.934

B 0.967

C 1.035

D 1.070

(Total 1 mark)

GEMS Winchester School Dubai Page 11 of 11