IAAC

Aayush Borkar

April 2020

1 Solutions

1.1 Problem A

(1) Hydrogen

(2) Helium

(3) Astronomical Unit (AU)

(4) Carbon Dioxide

(5) Asteroid Belt

(6) 79

(7) lo

(8) 165 years

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1.2 Problem B

Let 1 cm = 12700 km .....(1)

(a) dsun = 1.4 × 106 km (in normal scale) .....(2)

Dividing equation 2 by equation 1, we get -

dsun 1.4 × 106

= cm
1 12700

dsun = 110.236 cm (approx.)

(b) 4.24 ly = 4.0133 × 1013 km (in normal scale) .....(3)

Dividing equation 3 by equation 1, we get -

4.24 ly 4.0122 × 1013

= cm
1 12700

4.24 ly = 3.16 × 109 cm (approx.)

1.3 Problem C

Let the distance of moon from earth be x

The following figure represents the situation -

2
Here, the distance of the ruler from eyes is AH = 60 cm

The diameter of moon as seen from earth is EF = 0.55 cm

The distance of Moon from earth is AG = x

The diameter of moon is BC = 3500 km

Clearly, ∆AHF ∼ ∆AGB

HF GB
=⇒ = .....(1)
AH AG

And also, ∆AHE ∼ ∆AGC

EH CG
=⇒ = .....(2)
AH AG

Adding equation 1 and equation 2, we get -

EF BC
=
AH AG
0.55 3500
=
60 x
60
x = 3500 ×
0.55

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∴ x = 381818.18 km

Thus, the distance between the earth and the center of moon is 381818.18 km

Now, for distance between earth and surface of the moon, we subtract the radius

of the moon, i.e, we subtract 1750 km from x

We get, x − 1750 = 380068.18 km

Thus, the distance between the earth and the surface of the moon is 380068.18 km

1.3.1 Problem D

(a) The satellite revolves around the earth in a circular orbit. Thus, it requires a

Centripetal Force. The only source for this Centripetal Force is the gravitational

pull of the earth.

=⇒ FG = FC

ms · me ms · v 2
=⇒ G 2
=
(RE + h) RE + h
ms · me
=⇒ G = ms · v 2
RE + h
r
me
∴ vo = G
RE + h

Here, vo is orbital velocity of the satellite

By the definition of work, it’s formula is W = F · s

where F is force and s is the distance travelled

W =F ·s

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=⇒ W = ma · s .....(1)

By the 3rd equation of motion,

v 2 − u2 = 2as

v 2 − u2
=⇒ as =
2

Substituting the value of as in equation 1, we get -

1
W = m(v 2 − u2 )
2

Kinetic Energy is defined as the virtue of it’s motion. Thus, it is 0 at rest. So

we can say that -

1
Ekin = mv 2 .....(2)
2

Now, substituting the value of orbital velocity of satellite in equation 2, we get-

1 me
Ekin (h) = ms × G
2 RE + h
Gms · me
∴ Ekin (h) =
2(RE + h)

(b) Given,

ms = 1 kg

h = 400 km = 400000 m

Also,

mE = 6 × 1024 kg

RE = 6.4 × 106 m

G = 6.67 × 10−11 N m2 /kg 2

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Using, the formula derived in part (a), we get -

Gms · me
Ekin (h) =
2(RE + h)
6.67 × 10−11 × 1 × 6 × 1024
Ekin (h) =
2(6.4 × 106 + 400000)

∴ Ekin (h) = 29426470.59 (approx.)

Energy density of liquid hydrogen, εH = 106 J/Litre

Ekin (h)
=⇒ Vol. of liquid hydrogen required, V =
εH
29426470.59
=⇒ V =
106

∴ V = 29.426Litres (approx.)

Thus, 29.426 Litres of liquid hydrogen is required to bring a satellite of mass

1 kg in an orbit of 400 km

1.4 Problem E

Hydrogen gas found in very large amounts on Sun. Hydrogen has atomic number

1. It has 0 neutrons. On the sun, 4 Hydrogen nuclei come together and give rise

to a Helium Nuclei. The Nuclear Force combines the protons and neutrons, and

the Coulomb Force causes the protons to repel each other(protons are positively

charged). This process is called Nuclear Fusion. The products formed after

Nuclear Fusion of 4 Hydrogen Atoms are 1 alpha particle, 2 positrons and 2

neutrinos. This process liberates enormous energy. It was found that the mass

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of resultant Helium Atom was 0.8% less than that of the 4 Hydrogen atoms,

which suggests that energy is released, due to Einstein’s Equation e = mc2