QCEVault

Gravity and motion — Question 229

Original QCE Vault practice · 5 marks

Q229 · Practice questionComplex unfamiliar5 marks

QUESTION 229 (5 marks)

A spherical planet has radius R=7.00×106 mR=7.00\times10^6\,\mathrm m and surface gravitational field strength 8.00 N kg−18.00\,\mathrm{N\,kg^{-1}}. A small satellite follows a circular orbit with period 7200 s7200\,\mathrm s. Ignore planetary rotation and other bodies. Use G=6.67×10−11 N m2 kg−2G=6.67\times10^{-11}\,\mathrm{N\,m^2\,kg^{-2}}.
Planet centre O, surface radius R and a satellite on a larger circular orbit. Collinear dimension arrows separately label R and the surface-to-satellite altitude h. A curved arrow indicates orbital motion. Not to scale.
a)
Determine the mass of the planet.
[2 marks]
b)
Determine the satellite's altitude above the surface.
[3 marks]
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