Chapter 7: Circular Motion and Gravitation

Lesson 3: Motion in Space

Thinking Worksheet

Solve the following problems and make sure to SHOW your work.

Part A:

1. Find the orbital speed and period that the Magellan satellite from
Sample Problem D would have at the same mean altitude above
Jupiter.

2. Phobos, the larger of Mars’ two moons, orbits 5.99×103 km above

the planet surface. Given that the mass of Mars is 6.42×10 23 kg
and the radius of Mars is 3.39×103 km, what are the orbital speed
and period of Phobos?

3. Use Newton’s thought experiment on the motion of satellites to

calculate the speed that a satellite shot from a cannon must have
to orbit Earth 150 km above its surface. How long would it take
for the satellite to complete one orbit and return to the cannon?
(Mass of earth = 5.972 × 10^24 kg , Radius of earth =6.371 x106 m

4. Use the data for Mercury in (mass of Mercury=3.30 ×10 23 kg ,

radius of Mercury= 2.44×10 6 m) to find the speed of a satellite
 that is in orbit 260 km above Mercury’s surface and the period of
the satellite

Part B:

1. At what distance above Earth would a satellite have a period of

125 min?

2. Venus has a period of revolution of 225 Earth days. Find the

distance between the Sun and Venus (Orbital radius of Earth=
1.495x10^8 km, Orbital Period of Earth= 365 days)

3. Earth has an orbital period of 365 days and its mean distance
from the Sun is 1.495x10^8 km. The planet Pluto’s mean distance
from the Sun is 5.896x10^9 km. Using Kepler’s third law, calculate
Pluto’s orbital period in Earth days.