AP Physics 1 - Gravitation Questions

AP PHYSICS 1 Test Booklet
Gravitation
1. This question is a long free-response question. Show your work for each part of the question. (15 points, suggested
time 25 minutes)
A satellite is traveling around Earth in a circular orbit at a constant speed and at a constant distance from
Earth’s surface, as shown above.
An identical satellite is set into orbit around a new planet. The new planet has the same radius as the radius of
Earth but is significantly more massive than Earth. The satellite orbits the same distance from the surface of the
new planet.
(a) Is the speed of the satellite orbiting the new planet greater than, less than, or the same as the speed of the
satellite orbiting Earth? Explain your reasoning.
Students find the following equation on the Internet to describe circular orbits in general. The equation may or
may not be correct.
In the equation above
is the mass of a planet;

is the orbital period of a satellite in a circular orbit;
is the distance from the planet’s center to the satellite; and
is a constant with appropriate units.
(b) Is this equation consistent with your reasoning in part (a)? Explain your reasoning.
AP Physics 1 Page 1 of 13
Test Booklet
Gravitation
The original satellite is orbiting clockwise around Earth. When the satellite is at point A in the above figure, it
fires a thruster (which exerts a force on the satellite) for a short time, modifying the orbital path. The dashed line
in the figure shows the original orbit of the satellite, and the solid line shows the modified orbit.
(c) Consider the force exerted by the thruster at point A that modifies the satellite's orbit from the dashed-line
original orbit to the solid-line new orbit. Was the force exerted in the same direction as, in the opposite direction
of, or perpendicular to the satellite’s velocity at point A? Explain your answer.
The satellite has now been in its new orbit for a long time. Two students are discussing the satellite in its new
clockwise, elliptical orbit as it travels from point A to point B, and state the following:
Student 1: The satellite is moving faster at point A because the satellite’s angular momentum is greater at point A
than at point B.
Student 2: The satellite is moving faster at point B because the gravitational potential energy of the satellite-Earth
system is higher at point B than at point A.
(d) Which underlined phrase or phrases in student 1’s statement are correct, if either? If neither phrase is correct,
write “none.”
(e) Which underlined phrase or phrases in student 1’s statement are incorrect, if either? If neither phrase is
incorrect, write “none.”
(f) Which underlined phrase or phrases in student 2’s statement are correct, if either? If neither phrase is correct,
write “none.”
(g) Which underlined phrase or phrases in student 2’s statement are incorrect, if either? If neither phrase is
In each of the graphs shown below, the vertical axis represents a quantity that could be related to the satellite and/
or Earth while the satellite is in the new elliptical orbit. The horizontal axis represents the position of the satellite
as it completes one elliptical orbit, starting and ending at point A.
Page 2 of 13 AP Physics 1
Test Booklet
Gravitation
(h) Which of the above graphs best represents the magnitude of the gravitational field at the location of the
satellite as it orbits? Briefly explain your reasoning.
(i) Which of the above graphs best represents the total mechanical energy of the satellite-Earth system as the
satellite orbits? Briefly explain your reasoning.
Test Booklet
Gravitation
time 25 minutes)
Earth’s surface, as shown above.
An identical satellite is set into orbit around a new planet. The new planet’s radius is the same as the radius of
Earth but is significantly more massive than Earth. The satellite orbits the new planet with the same orbital period.
(a) Is the distance of the satellite from the surface of the new planet greater than, less than, or equal to ? Explain
your reasoning.
may not be correct.
is the distance from a planet’s center to a satellite in a circular orbit;

is the speed of the satellite;
is the mass of the planet; and
Test Booklet
Gravitation
in the figure shows the original orbit of the satellite, and the solid line shows the modified orbit.
clockwise, elliptical orbit as it travels from point A to point B, and state the following:
Student 1: The satellite is moving faster at point A because the total mechanical energy of the satellite-Earth
system is constant.
system is higher at point B than at point A.
write “none.”
write “none.”
Test Booklet
Gravitation
as it completes one elliptical orbit, starting and ending at point A.
(h) Which of the above graphs best represents the potential energy of the satellite-Earth system as the satellite
orbits? Briefly explain your reasoning.
(i) Which of the above graphs best represents the torque about the center of Earth exerted on the satellite by
Earth’s gravitational force as the satellite orbits? Briefly explain your reasoning.
Test Booklet
Gravitation
time 25 minutes)
Earth’s surface.
An identical satellite is set into orbit around a new planet. The new planet’s radius is the same as the radius of
Earth but the new planet is significantly more massive than Earth. The satellite orbits the new planet with the same
speed .
(a) Is the distance of the satellite from the surface of the new planet greater than, less than, or equal to ? Explain
your reasoning.
may not be correct.
is the distance from a planet’s center to a satellite in a circular orbit;

is the mass of the planet;
is the orbital period of the satellite; and
Test Booklet
Gravitation
in the figure shows the original orbit of the satellite, and the solid line shows the modified orbit. In the modified
orbit, the satellite’s speed at point A, after the thrusters were fired, is the same as it was in the original orbit.
clockwise, elliptical orbit as it travels from point B to point C, and state the following:
system is negative.
Student 2: The satellite is moving faster at point C because the total mechanical energy of the satellite-Earth
system is greater at point C than at point B.
write “none.”
write “none.”
Test Booklet
Gravitation
as it completes one elliptical orbit, starting and ending at point B.
(h) Which of the above graphs best represents the magnitude of the acceleration of the satellite as it orbits? Briefly
explain your reasoning.
(i) Which of the above graphs best represents the magnitude of the angular momentum of the satellite with respect
to the center of Earth as the satellite orbits? Briefly explain your reasoning.
Test Booklet
Gravitation
4.
The Sojourner rover vehicle shown in the sketch above was used to explore the surface of Mars as part of the
Pathfinder mission in 1997. Use the data in the tables below to answer the questions that follow.
Mars Data Sojourner Data
Mass of Sojourner vehicle: 11.5 kg

Wheel diameter: 0.13 m
Radius: 0.53 x Earth's radius
Stored energy available: 5.4 x 105J
Mass: 0.11 x Earth's mass
Power required for driving under average conditions: 10W
Land speed: 6.7 x 10-3 m/s
1. Determine the acceleration due to gravity at the surface of Mars in terms of g, the acceleration due to
gravity at the surface of Earth.
2. Calculate Sojournerís weight on the surface of Mars.
3. Assume that when leaving the Pathfinder spacecraft Sojourner rolls down a ramp inclined at 20° to the
horizontal. The ramp must be lightweight but strong enough to support Sojourner. Calculate the
minimum normal force that must be supplied by the ramp.
4. What is the net force on Sojourner as it travels across the Martian surface at constant velocity? Justify
your answer.
5. Determine the maximum distance that Sojourner can travel on a horizontal Martian surface using its
stored energy.
6. Suppose that 0.010% of the power for driving is expended against atmospheric drag as Sojourner travels
on the Martian surface. Calculate the magnitude of the drag force.
A meteoroid is in a circular orbit above the surface of a distant planet. The planet has the same mass as Earth but
has a radius that is of Earth’s (where Earth’s radius is approximately ).
5. The acceleration of the meteoroid due to the gravitational force exerted by the planet is most nearly
Test Booklet
Gravitation
(A) toward the center of the planet

(B) in the direction of the meteoroid’s motion
(C) toward the center of the planet
(D) in the direction of the meteoroid’s motion
6. Does the planet exert a torque on the meteoroid with respect to the center of mass of the planet? Why or why not?
(A) Yes, because the planet exerts a centripetal force on the meteoroid.
(B) Yes, because the meteoroid’s direction of motion is constantly changing.
(C) No, because the force exerted by the planet on the meteoroid has a negligible magnitude.
No, because the planet exerts a force on the meteoroid parallel to its position vector relative to the center of
(D)
mass of the planet.
7.
Satellites , , and travel in circular orbits around Earth. The mass of each satellite and the distance of each
satellite from Earth’s center are shown. Which of the following compares the magnitudes of the gravitational forces
, , and exerted on satellites , , and , respectively, by Earth?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Test Booklet
Gravitation
8. A satellite of mass is orbiting a planet of mass in a circular orbit of radius . What is the kinetic energy of
the satellite?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
9. A sphere is initially held at rest a distance above the center of a planet of mass . The weight of the sphere at
this initial location is . The sphere is then moved to a new location above the same planet so that the weight of
the sphere is . Which of the following expressions represents the strength of the gravitational field at the new
location of the sphere?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
10. A spacecraft is placed in a circular orbit around a planet with mass 6.4 x 1023 kg. The spacecraft orbits at a height of
4.5 x 107 m above the planet’s surface. What additional information is needed to calculate the speed of the
spacecraft in the orbit?
(A) No additional information
(B) The planet’s radius only
(C) The spacecraft’s mass only
(D) Both the planet’s radius and the spacecraft’s mass
11. Planet 1 orbits Star 1 and Planet 2 orbits Star 2 in circular orbits of the same radius. However, the orbital period of
Planet 1 is longer than the orbital period of Planet 2. What could explain this?
(A) Star 1 has less mass than Star 2.
(B) Star 1 has more mass than Star 2.
(C) Planet 1 has less mass than Planet 2.
(D) Planet 1 has more mass than Planet 2.
(E) The masses of the planets are much less than the masses of the stars.
Test Booklet
Gravitation
12.
Objects and have masses and , respectively, where . The objects are in outer space far away
from any other objects, as shown above. Point is located halfway between their centers. At what location, if any,
is the gravitational field due to the two objects equal to zero?
(A) Somewhere between object and point
(B) At point
(C) Somewhere between point and object
(D) The gravitational field due to the two objects is nonzero everywhere.

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AP PHYSICS 1 Test Booklet

In the equation above

is the mass of a planet;

In the equation above

is the distance from a planet’s center to a satellite in a circular orbit;

as it completes one elliptical orbit, starting and ending at point A.

In the equation above

is the distance from a planet’s center to a satellite in a circular orbit;

Mars Data Sojourner Data

Mass of Sojourner vehicle: 11.5 kg

2. Calculate Sojournerís weight on the surface of Mars.

(A) toward the center of the planet

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