Physics 9702/41 — October/November 2016

Cambridge A-Level · A Level Structured Questions · worked solutions for every part, with the mark scheme

questions

100

marks

120

minutes

Topics Magnetic Fields · Gravitational Fields · Motion in a Circle · Oscillations · Electric Fields · Quantum Physics · +6 more

Q1Gravitational FieldsMotion in a CircleFree sample

A satellite is in a circular orbit of radius $r$ about the Earth of mass $M$ , as illustrated in Fig. 1.1.

Fig. 1.1

The mass of the Earth may be assumed to be concentrated at its centre.

(a)

Show that the period $T$ of the orbit of the satellite is given by the expression

T^2 = \frac{4\pi^2r^3}{GM}

where $G$ is the gravitational constant. Explain your working.

(b)

(i)

A satellite in geostationary orbit appears to remain above the same point on the Earth and has a period of 24 hours.
State two other features of a geostationary orbit.

______
______

(ii)

The mass $M$ of the Earth is $6.0 \times 10^{24}\ \text{kg}$ .
Use the expression in (a) to determine the radius of a geostationary orbit.

$radius$ = ______ $\text{m}$

(c)

A global positioning system (GPS) satellite orbits the Earth at a height of $2.0 \times 10^4\ \text{km}$ above the Earth’s surface.
The radius of the Earth is $6.4 \times 10^3\ \text{km}$ .

Use your answer in (b)(ii) and the expression

T^2 \propto r^3

to calculate, in hours, the period of the orbit of this satellite.

$period$ = ______ $\text{hours}$

The rest of this paper

11 more questions

Q2Ideal Gases · Thermodynamics9M
Q3Oscillations7M
Q4Communication8M
Q5Electric Fields10M
Q6Electronics · Temperature9M
Q7Gravitational Fields · Electric Fields · Magnetic Fields · Motion in a Circle9M
Q8Magnetic Fields · Oscillations8M
Q9Magnetic Fields9M
Q10Quantum Physics9M
Q11Quantum Physics5M
Q12Nuclear Physics8M

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