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1 (a) State the name of the force that keeps the Earth in orbit around the Sun.
.............................................................................................................................................. [1]
(b) State how many days it takes the Earth to complete one orbit of the Sun.
(c) Explain why the Sun appears to move across the sky each day.
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [2]
[Total: 4]
(b) Compare the structure and the size of the four inner planets with those of the four outer
planets of our Solar System.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
[3]
[Total: 5]
3 (a) State the names of the two main elements found in the Sun.
.............................................................................................................................................. [2]
(b) The Sun is one of many billions of stars that make up our galaxy.
(c) The distance of Mars from the Sun is 2.4 1011 108
Calculate the time for light from the Sun to reach Mars.
[Total: 6]
1 Fig. 1.1 shows the orbit of a comet around the Sun. X, Y, P and Q are different positions on this
orbit.
X
Y
orbit of comet
P
Sun
Fig. 1.1
(a) (i) State how the speed of the comet changes as it moves from X to Y.
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [3]
(b) The shape of the orbit of the comet from P to Q is circular, with the Sun at its centre.
State and explain the changes, if any, in the speed and in the velocity of the comet as it
moves from P to Q.
speed ........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
velocity ......................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
[4]
[Total: 8]
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [2]
(b) Fig. 2.1 shows some of the phases of the Moon as seen from the Earth.
Fig. 2.1
(i) On Fig. 2.1, draw the phases of the Moon for day 7 and for day 29. [2]
(ii) State what the phases of the Moon indicate about the motion of the Moon.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
Calculate the time period for the Moon to complete one orbit of the Earth.
[Total: 9]
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
(ii) State what can be deduced from the redshift of light from glowing hydrogen in a distant
galaxy.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
(b) (i) State one method for estimating the distance d of a distant galaxy from the Earth.
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
1
(ii) Explain how, according to the Big Bang Theory, represents the age of the Universe.
H0
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [3]
[Total: 8]
1 The Solar System contains the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids and comets.
.............................................................................................................................................. [1]
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [2]
1 ................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
2 ................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [2]
(d) The planet closest to the Sun orbits the Sun in 88 days.
State two reasons why the Earth takes longer to orbit the Sun than this planet.
1 ................................................................................................................................................
2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]
(e) (i) State the time taken for light to travel from the Sun to the Earth.
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) Using your answer to (e)(i), calculate the distance from the Sun to the Earth.
......................................................
[Total: 10]
2 (a) A year, a month and a day can be defined in terms of the motions of the Earth, the Moon and
the Sun.
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) Earth, Jupiter and Saturn are three planets in the Solar System.
Table 2.1
Using data from Table 2.1, calculate the average radius of Saturn’s orbit around the Sun.
....................................................
(c) Fig. 2.1 shows one alignment with the Sun of Earth, Jupiter and Saturn.
Sun
Jupiter
Earth Saturn
direction NOT TO
of orbit SCALE
Fig. 2.1
(i) In Fig. 2.1, the three planets and the Sun are in line.
29 years later, Saturn returns to the same position relative to the Sun, but Earth and
Jupiter are not in the same line.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
(ii) Complete Fig. 2.2 to show the positions of the three planets exactly 6 years after the
diagram in Fig. 2.1.
Sun
Fig. 2.2
[3]
[Total: 11]
3 Table 3.1 lists some of the planets in the Solar System and their average distances from the Sun.
Table 3.1
planet
Mercury 5.8 107
1.1 108
Earth 1.5 108
2.3 108
Jupiter 7.8 108
(a) Complete Table 3.1 by writing in the names of the missing planets. [2]
(b) As the planets move around the Sun, the distance between Earth and Jupiter changes.
Use Table 3.1 to calculate the smallest distance and the largest distance between Earth and
Jupiter.
...............................................................
...............................................................
[2]
(c) A planet is in orbit around a distant star. As it passes in front of the star, it blocks some of the
light of the star from reaching Earth, reducing the brightness of the star as seen from Earth.
Fig. 3.1 shows the view, from Earth, as the planet passes in front of the star.
star
planet
direction of motion
Fig. 3.1
Fig. 3.2 shows an incomplete graph of how the brightness of the star varies with time, as
seen from Earth.
brightness of
star as seen
from Earth
0
0 t1 t2 time
Fig. 3.2
(i) Complete Fig. 3.2 to show how the brightness of the star varies with time. [2]
(ii) Describe how the completed Fig. 3.2 should be changed to show a larger planet passing
at the same distance in front of the same star.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
(iii) Suggest how an astronomer uses the changes in the brightness of the star to measure
the orbital period of the planet round the star.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
[Total: 9]
4 When astronomers look at distant galaxies, they find that the frequency of the light from the galaxy
is shifted towards the red end of the spectrum.
(a) (i) Apart from visible light, state two types of electromagnetic wave that contain most of the
energy emitted by a stable star.
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) The speed of recession of a galaxy is the speed at which the galaxy is moving away from
Earth.
Astronomers can also measure the distance d of the galaxy from Earth. Such large distances
are measured in light-years.
Astronomers can estimate the time T that the galaxy has been moving away from Earth using
the equation
d
T
speed of recession
Table 4.1
d speed of recession T
km / s
4.9 107 1100 13
8
1.0 10 2400 13
3.2 108 6700 14
3.9 108 9000 13
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
[3]
(iii) Describe the relationship between the speed of recession of a galaxy and its distance
from Earth.
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
(iv) Explain how the values of T provide evidence for the Big Bang Theory of the origin of the
Universe.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
[Total: 10]
5 (a) The Sun produces energy from nuclei of hydrogen. Hydrogen nuclei are positively charged.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
(b) (i) Some stars are initially much more massive than the Sun.
Describe the life cycle of such a star, after it has passed through the stage of being a
protostar.
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...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [4]
(ii) Although the early Universe contained only light elements such as hydrogen, it now
contains a number of very heavy elements.
State in which part of the life cycle of a star these very heavy elements are formed.
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
[Total: 9]
12 (a) Fig. 12.1 represents the Earth and the Sun at one point in the Earth’s orbit of the Sun.
axis
Explain the apparent daily motion of the Sun across the sky.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................. [2]
(b) List the four planets closest to the Sun in order of their distance from the Sun. One is done for
you.
Earth
1 ............................ 2 ............................ 3 ............................ 4 ............................ [2]
1 ................................................................................................................................................
2 ................................................................................................................................................
[2]
............................................................................................................................................. [1]
[Total: 7]
11 Fig. 11.1 shows the Sun and the four innermost planets, A, B, C, and D, of the Solar System.
(a) In Table 11.1, write the names of the innermost planets. One is done for you.
Table 11.1
(b) Describe how the four innermost planets of the Solar System were formed.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................. [4]
[Total: 6]
Neptune
Earth
Jupiter
Sun Uranus
planet A
planet B
Venus
Saturn
(a) (i) State the name of planet A and the name of planet B.
planet A .............................................................................................................................
planet B .............................................................................................................................
[2]
(ii) On Fig. 10.1, draw an X to represent a moon of Jupiter. Draw a line to show how this
moon moves. [1]
(iii) State two ways in which the four planets nearest to the Sun are different from the four
planets furthest away from the Sun.
1 ........................................................................................................................................
2 ........................................................................................................................................
[2]
The galaxy that includes the Solar System is called the ................................................. .
(b) The distance between the Sun and the Earth is 1.5 × 1011 m.
The speed of an electromagnetic wave is 3.0 × 108 m / s.
Calculate the time taken for an electromagnetic wave to travel from the Sun to the Earth.
[Total: 10]
10 Pluto is a dwarf planet. Fig. 10.1 shows the direction of motion of Pluto as it follows its elliptical
orbit around the Sun.
Pluto
X Sun
orbit
direction
of motion
(a) Point X is the point in the orbit closest to the Sun and point Y is the point furthest away.
(i) Describe how the speed of Pluto varies as it moves from X to Y and then back to X.
...........................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) Explain, in terms of energy transfers, why the speed of Pluto varies in this way.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... [3]
(ii) Pluto has a white surface, as shown in Fig. 10.2. As Pluto rotates, the white surface
alternately faces towards and away from the Sun.
white surface
Fig. 10.2
Explain how this affects the temperature of Pluto as it rotates on its own axis.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... [2]
[Total: 7]
10 (a) State the equation that defines the average orbital speed v of a planet. State the meaning of
any symbols you use.
...................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................. [2]
(b) Suggest why countries that are a significant distance from the Equator experience significant
temperature variation throughout the year.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................. [1]
(c) Fill in the gaps in the paragraph about a star much more massive than the Sun.
The stage that follows the stable state in the life cycle of the star is the
....................................... stage.
....................................... or a ....................................... .
[4]
(d) A galaxy is moving away from the Earth with a speed of 33 000 km / s.
The value of the Hubble constant is 2.2 × 10–18 per second.
Calculate the distance from the galaxy to the Earth. Give your answer in light-years.
[Total: 9]
9 Fig. 9.1 shows the Sun as the central dot and the planets Saturn, Jupiter and Earth labelled S0,
J0 and E0. The planets orbit the Sun anticlockwise. From the Earth’s orbit, the planets appear
aligned.
S0
J0
E0
Assume that Saturn takes 30 years to orbit the Sun and that Jupiter takes 12 years to orbit the
Sun.
(a) On Fig. 9.1, mark the positions of Saturn and Jupiter 5.0 years after the original positions
shown.
[3]
(b) (i) On Fig. 9.1, mark the positions of Saturn and Jupiter 20 years after the original positions
shown in Fig. 9.1.
[1]
(ii) State what is observed from the Earth’s orbit after 20 years.
...........................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(c) (i) Choose two words from the list to describe each planet.
Jupiter ...............................................................................................................................
Earth ..................................................................................................................................
[1]
(ii) The average density of Jupiter is much less than that of the Earth.
The gravitational field strength at the surface of Jupiter is greater than that at the surface
of the Earth.
Explain how these differences in density and in gravitational field strength are consistent
with your answers to (c)(i).
density
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
[3]
(d) The average density of Jupiter is 1300 kg / m3 and its volume is 1.4 × 1015 km3.
[Total: 12]
[4]
(b) (i) State one measurement that is taken when determining the speed v at which a galaxy is
moving away from the Earth.
...........................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii) Write down an equation relating v and the distance d of a far galaxy.
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(iii) State how the distance d of a far galaxy can be determined other than by using the
equation in (ii).
...........................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
[Total: 7]
...........................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(i) Complete Fig. 10.1 to show the stages that a massive star goes through after it has
used up most of the hydrogen at the centre of the star.
red supergiant
.............................................
Fig. 10.1
[2]
(ii) State the stage in the life cycle of a star where heavy elements are formed.
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(c) Current scientific understanding is that the universe began 14 billion years ago in an event
known as the Big Bang.
observation ...............................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
explanation ...............................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
[4]
[Total: 9]
Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.
To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.
Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge
Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is a department of the University of Cambridge.
11 Table 11.1 shows details about eight planets in the solar system, their average distance from the
Sun, their orbital period and their average surface temperature.
Table 11.1
(a) Complete Table 11.1 by adding the names of the three planets that are not given. [2]
(b) Calculate the orbital speed of Mars as it travels around the Sun.
(c) Describe the relationship between the distance of a planet from the Sun and its orbital period.
...................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................. [1]
(d) Describe the relationship between the distance from the Sun and the average surface
temperature of a planet.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................. [2]
[Total: 7]
© UCLES 2023 5054/21/M/J/23
16
10 (a) The time taken for Mars to orbit the Sun is 690 Earth days. The average orbital radius of Mars
is 2.28 × 108 km. An Earth day is 24 h.
............................................................................................................................................. [1]
...........................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... [2]
(ii) State the quantity that the redshift of a galaxy is used to calculate.
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
[Total: 7]
Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.
To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.
Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge
Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is a department of the University of Cambridge.
12 (a) State, in order, the names of the three planets closest to the Sun.
............................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................. [2]
(c) Jupiter is 780 000 000 000 m (7.8 # 1011 m) from the Sun.
Calculate the time for light to travel from the Sun to Jupiter.
[Total: 6]
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [3]
(b) Describe and explain what can be deduced from cosmic microwave background radiation
(CMBR).
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [3]
[Total: 6]
(i) State the three main forms of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the Sun.
1 ........................................................................................................................................
2 ........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................
(ii) State the two main elements that are found in the Sun.
1 ........................................................................................................................................
2 ........................................................................................................................................
(b) State and explain what can be deduced from the ‘redshift’ observed by astronomers in the
light from all distant galaxies.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
(a) Using ideas about forces, explain how the Sun remains stable in this part of its life cycle.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [2]
(b) Describe what happens to stars of similar mass to the Sun at the end of the stable part of
their life cycle.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [3]
(c) The orbital speed of Earth around the Sun is 30 km / s. Use this value to calculate the distance
of Earth from the Sun.
(d) The light emitted by distant galaxies show various amounts of redshift.
(i) State the name of the galaxy that contains our Sun.
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
(iii) An astronomer compares the spectrum of light emitted by the Sun with the spectrum of
light emitted by distant galaxies P and Q.
Fig. 10.1 shows the same four lines as observed in all three spectrums.
increasing wavelength
Sun
Galaxy P
Galaxy Q
Fig. 10.1
State what Fig. 10.1 enables the astronomer to deduce about galaxy P and galaxy Q.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
[Total: 13]
Saturn
Neptune
Earth
Mercury
Sun
Venus
Uranus
Mars Jupiter
not to scale
Fig. 10.1
(ii) State the name of the force that keeps Saturn in orbit around the Sun.
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
(iii) The mean distance between Saturn and the Sun is 1.43 1012
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [2]
(c) Describe what the Big Bang Theory states in terms of the formation of the Universe.
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................. [2]
[Total: 9]
(ii) The spacecraft is launched into space. The spacecraft accelerates as it moves upwards
through the Earth’s atmosphere.
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
(iii) The spacecraft travels from the Earth to the Moon in 3.2 days.
(iv)
speed = ................................................
(v) The spacecraft is controlled by radio waves sent from the Earth.
State whether the radio waves travel to the spacecraft faster, slower or at the same
speed as visible light.
speed ................................................................................................................................
reason ...............................................................................................................................
[1]
(b) The Earth orbits the Sun as part of the Solar System.
State the name of the planet that orbits closest to the Sun.
.............................................................................................................................................. [1]
(c) State the name of the galaxy that contains the Sun.
.............................................................................................................................................. [1]
[Total: 10]