IB PHYSICS

YEAR 12
Time duration: 50 minutes Formative Assessment
Topics: 2.1 Circular Motion
2.2 Gravity
NAME: ______________________________________________ DATE: ______________________________
Attempt the following questions. Show formula, substitutions, answers and units in
spaces provided.

1. An aircraft accelerates from rest along a horizontal straight runway and then
takes-off. The mass of the aircraft is 8.0103 kg. When approaching its
destination, the pilot puts the aircraft into a holding pattern. This means the
aircraft flies at a constant speed of 90 m s1 in a horizontal circle of radius 500 m
as shown in Figure 1.1.

Fig. 1.1

For the aircraft in the holding pattern,

(a) calculate the magnitude of the resultant force on the aircraft. [2]
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(b) state the direction of the resultant force. [1]

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[3 marks]

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2. Keplers third law states that the period T of the orbit of a planet about the Sun is
related to the average orbital radius R of the planet by the relationship
T2 = KR3
where K is a constant.
(a) Suggest why the law specifies the average orbital radius. [1]
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(b) State the name of the force that causes the acceleration of the planets
orbiting the Sun. [1]
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(i) State an expression for the magnitude F of the force in (b) in terms
of the mass MS, of the Sun, the mass m of the planet, the radius R of
the orbit and the universal gravitational constant G. [1]
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(ii) Hence deduce, explaining your working, that the constant K is given
by the expression [4]

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(c) Ganymede is one of the moons of Jupiter and the following data are
available.
Average orbital radius of Ganymede = 1.1 109 m
Orbital period of Ganymede = 6.2 105 s
Universal gravitational constant G = 6.7 1011 N m2 kg2
(i) Deduce that the gravitational field strength of Jupiter at the surface of
Ganymede is approximately 0.1 N kg1. [2]
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(ii) Estimate the mass of Jupiter. [3]

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[12 marks]

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