IGCSE Homework Space Physics

Chapter Space Physics

1) The radius of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun is about 150 million kilometers. The period of
the Earth’s orbit is one year. Calculate the average speed of the Earth as it moves around
the Sun
a) in km/h b) in m/s

2) The formula for calculating the orbital speed, v, of a planet around a star is
2 r
v=
T
Use this formula to calculate the orbital speed, in m/s and km/h, of the Earth which has an
orbital period of 365 days and radius 150 million kilometers, and Mercury which has an orbital
period of 90 days and radius 60 million kilometers.

3) The Moon travels around the Earth in a nearly circular orbit of average diameter 385 000 km
once every 27.4 days. Calculate the orbital speed of the Moon in m/s.

4) A communication satellite maintains its position above the equator by orbiting the Earth at
the same rate that Earth rotated. This is called geostationary orbit. To do this the orbital
speed of the satellite must be 3.1 km/s. The Earth has a radius of 6400 km, use this
information to calculate:
a) The radius of the orbit of the geostationary communications satellite.

b) How high the satellite is above the surface of the Earth.

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