Topic 6 P2 HL NEW [78 marks]

The moon Phobos moves around the planet Mars in a circular orbit.

1a. Outline the origin of the force that acts on Phobos. [1 mark]

1b. Outline why this force does no work on Phobos. [1 mark]

1c. The orbital period T of a moon orbiting a planet of mass M is given by [3 marks]

R3
= kM
T2
where R is the average distance between the centre of the planet and the centre
of the moon.
G
Show that k= 4π 2
1d. The following data for the Mars–Phobos system and the Earth–Moon [2 marks]
system are available:
Mass of Earth = 5.97 × 1024 kg
The Earth–Moon distance is 41 times the Mars–Phobos distance.
The orbital period of the Moon is 86 times the orbital period of Phobos.
Calculate, in kg, the mass of Mars.
1e. The graph shows the variation of the gravitational potential between the [3 marks]
Earth and Moon with distance from the centre of the Earth. The distance
from the Earth is expressed as a fraction of the total distance between the centre
of the Earth and the centre of the Moon.

Determine, using the graph, the mass of the Moon.

 A proton moves along a circular path in a region of a uniform magnetic field. The
magnetic field is directed into the plane of the page.

2a. Label with arrows on the diagram the magnetic force F on the proton. [1 mark]

2b. Label with arrows on the diagram the velocity vector v of the proton. [1 mark]

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 The speed of the proton is 2.16 × 106 m s-1 and the magnetic field strength is
0.042 T.

2c. For this proton, determine, in m, the radius of the circular path. Give [3 marks]
your answer to an appropriate number of significant figures.

2d. For this proton, calculate, in s, the time for one full revolution. [2 marks]

There is a proposal to place a satellite in orbit around planet Mars.

3a. Outline what is meant by gravitational field strength at a point. [2 marks]

3b. Newton’s law of gravitation applies to point masses. Suggest why the law[2 marks]
can be applied to a satellite orbiting Mars.

The satellite is to have an orbital time T equal to the length of a day on Mars. It
can be shown that
T2 = kR3
where R is the orbital radius of the satellite and k is a constant.

3c. Mars has a mass of 6.4 × 1023 kg. Show that, for Mars, k is about 9 × 10– [3 marks]
13 s2 m –3 .

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3d. The time taken for Mars to revolve on its axis is 8.9 × 104 s. Calculate, in [2 marks]
m s–1, the orbital speed of the satellite.

distance of Mars from the Sun = 1.5.

The ratio distance of Earth from the Sun

3e. Show that the intensity of solar radiation at the orbit of Mars is about [2 marks]
600 W m–2.
3f. Determine, in K, the mean surface temperature of Mars. Assume that [2 marks]
Mars acts as a black body.

3g. The atmosphere of Mars is composed mainly of carbon dioxide and has a [3 marks]
pressure less than 1 % of that on the Earth. Outline why the mean
temperature of Earth is strongly affected by gases in its atmosphere but that of
Mars is not.
 A small ball of mass m is moving in a horizontal circle on the inside surface of a
frictionless hemispherical bowl.

The normal reaction force N makes an angle θ to the horizontal.

4a. State the direction of the resultant force on the ball. [1 mark]

4b. On the diagram, construct an arrow of the correct length to represent [2 marks]
the weight of the ball.
4c. Show that the magnitude of the net force F on the ball is given by the [3 marks]
following equation.

mg
F=
tan θ

4d. The radius of the bowl is 8.0 m and θ = 22°. Determine the speed of the [4 marks]
ball.
4e. Outline whether this ball can move on a horizontal circular path of radius [2 marks]
equal to the radius of the bowl.

The ball is now displaced through a small distance x from the bottom of the bowl
and is then released from rest.

The magnitude of the force on the ball towards the equilibrium position is given by
mgx
R
where R is the radius of the bowl.

4f. Outline why the ball will perform simple harmonic oscillations about [1 mark]
the equilibrium position.
4g. Show that the period of oscillation of the ball is about 6 s. [2 marks]

4h. The amplitude of oscillation is 0.12 m. On the axes, draw a graph to [3 marks]
show the variation with time t of the velocity v of the ball during one
period.

A planet has radius R. At a distance h above the surface of the planet the
gravitational field strength is g and the gravitational potential is V.

5a. State what is meant by gravitational field strength. [1 mark]

5b. Show that V = –g(R + h). [2 marks]

5c. Draw a graph, on the axes, to show the variation of the gravitational [2 marks]
potential V of the planet with height h above the surface of the planet.

5d. A planet has a radius of 3.1 × 106 m. At a point P a distance 2.4 × 107 m [1 mark]
above the surface of the planet the gravitational field strength is 2.2 N
kg–1. Calculate the gravitational potential at point P, include an appropriate unit
for your answer.
5e. The diagram shows the path of an asteroid as it moves past the planet. [3 marks]

When the asteroid was far away from the planet it had negligible speed. Estimate
the speed of the asteroid at point P as defined in (b).

5f. The mass of the asteroid is 6.2 × 1012 kg. Calculate the gravitational [2 marks]
force experienced by the planet when the asteroid is at point P.

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 The gravitational potential due to the Sun at its surface is –1.9 x 1011 J kg–1. The
following data are available.
Mass of Earth = 6.0 x 1024 kg
Distance from Earth
= 1.5 x 1011 m
to Sun
Radius of Sun = 7.0 x 108 m

6a. Outline why the gravitational potential is negative. [2 marks]

6b. The gravitational potential due to the Sun at a distance r from its centre [1 mark]
is VS. Show that
rV S = constant.
6c. Calculate the gravitational potential energy of the Earth in its orbit [2 marks]
around the Sun. Give your answer to an appropriate number of
significant figures.

6d. Calculate the total energy of the Earth in its orbit. [2 marks]

6e. An asteroid strikes the Earth and causes the orbital speed of the Earth [2 marks]
to suddenly decrease. Suggest the ways in which the orbit of the Earth
will change.
6f. Outline, in terms of the force acting on it, why the Earth remains in a [2 marks]
circular orbit around the Sun.

The diagram shows a planet near two stars of equal mass M.

Each star has mass M=2.0×10 30kg. Their centres are separated by a distance of
6.8×1011m. The planet is at a distance of 6.0×1011m from each star.

7a. On the diagram above, draw two arrows to show the gravitational field [2 marks]
strength at the position of the planet due to each of the stars.
 7b. Calculate the magnitude and state the direction of the resultant [3 marks]
gravitational field strength at the position of the planet.

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