UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

Centre
Course
Year
Trimester

:
:
:
:

Centre for Foundation Studies(CFS)

Foundation in Science
Year 1
Trimester 1

Session
Unit Code
Unit Title

: 201506
: FHSC 1014
: Mechanics

Additional Tutorial 9: Universal Gravitation

1. The average distance separating Earth and the Moon is 384 000 km. What is the net
gravitational force exerted by Earth and the Moon on a 3.0010 4 kg spaceship located
halfway between them. [321 N directed toward earth]
2. Objects with masses of 200 kg and 500 kg are separated by 0.400 m. (a) Find the net
gravitational force exerted by these objects on a 50.0-kg object placed midway
between them. (b) At what position (other than infinitely remote ones) can the 50.0-kg
object be placed so as to experience a net force of zero? [(a) 2.5010-5 N toward the
500 kg, (b) 0.245m from 500 kg]
3. A typical adult human has a mass of about 70 kg. (a) What force does a full moon
exert on such a human when it is directly overhead with its center 378000 km away?
(b) Compare this force with the force exerted on the human by the earth.
[(a) 2.410-3 N, (b) 3.510-6]
(Given mass of moon is 7.351022 kg)
4. On July 15, 2004, NASA launched the Aura spacecraft to study the earth's climate and
atmosphere. This satellite was injected into an orbit 705 km above the earth's surface,
and we shall assume a circular orbit. (a) How many hours does it take this satellite to
make one orbit? (b) How fast (in km/s) is the Aura spacecraft moving? [(a) 99.0 min,
(b) 7.49 km/s]
5. Space Station. The International Space Station makes 15.65 revolutions per day in its
orbit around the earth. Assuming a circular orbit, how high is this satellite above the
surface of the earth? [370 km]
6. In March 2006, two small satellites were discovered orbiting Pluto, one at a distance
of 48,000 km and the other at 64,000 km. Pluto already was known to have a large
satellite Charon, orbiting at 19,600 km with an orbital period of 6.39 days. Assuming
that the satellites do not affect each other, find the orbital periods of the two small
sate1lites without using the mass of Pluto. [24.5 days, 37.7 days]
7. An Earth satellite is in a circular orbit at an altitude of 160 km above the Earths
surface.
(a)
What is the linear speed? [7.82 103 ms1]
(b)
What is the period of revolution (in minute)? [87.5 min]
8. The star Rho Cancri is 57 light-years from the earth and has a mass 0.85 times that of
our sun. A planet has been detected in a circular orbit around Rho' Cancri with an
orbital radius equal to 0.11 times the radius of the earth's orbit around the sun. What
are (a) the orbital speed and (b) the orbital period of the planet of Rho Cancri?
[(a) 8.27104 m/s, (b) 14.5 days]
1

UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

Centre
Course
Year
Trimester

1.

:
:
:
:

Centre for Foundation Studies(CFS)

Foundation in Science
Year 1
Trimester 1

Session
Unit Code
Unit Title

: 201506
: FHSC 1014
: Mechanics

Solutions for Additional Tutorial 9: Universal Gravitation

GMm
F 2 ; r 1.92 108 m
r

6.67 10 5.98 10 3.00 10 325 N

1.92 10
6.67 10 7.36 10 3.00 10 4.00 N

1.92 10
11

FE

24

8 2

11

FM

22

8 2

Fnet FE FM 325 4.00 321N directed toward earth.

2.

GMm
; r1 r2 r 0.200 m
r2
GM m GM m Gm
F r 21 r 22 r 2 M 1 M 2
1
2
(a)

6.67 10 50.0 500 200 2.50 10

11

0.200

N
toward the 500 kg

GM1m GM 2 m
M
M

21 22
2
2
r2
r1
r2
(b) r1
200
500
2 d 0.245 m
2
0.400 d d

FM
3.

(a)
(b)

GM M m 6.67 10 11 7.35 1022 70

2.4 10 3 N
8 2
r2
3.78 10

FE W mg 70 9.80 690 N
FM
3.5 10 6
FE

4.

(a)

GMm mv 2
GM 2 r

2
r
r
r
T

5.94 10 s 99.0 min

6.67 10 5.97 10
2 r 2 7.05 10 6.38 10
v

7.49 10 m/s 7.49 km/s

2 7.05 105 6.38 10 6

11

32

24

(b)

2 r 3 2
GM

5.94 103

5.

8.64 10 4
5.52 103 s 1 day 8.64 10 4 s
15.65

GM ET 2
2 r 3 / 2

T
r
2
GM E
4

1/ 3

6.67 10 11 5.97 10 24 5.52 103

r

4 2

1/ 3

6.75 106 m

r RE h h r RE 3.7 10 m 370 km
5

T r
2

6.

T
T
13 23
r1
r2

r
T T 23
r1
2
2

2
1

48000
T 6.39 days

19600
2

2
2

T2 24.5 days

64000
T 6.39 days

19600
For the other satellite,
2
2

T2 37.7 days

7. (a)
We use the principle of conservation of energy. Initially the particle is
at the surface of the asteroid and has potential energy Ui = GMm/R, where M
is the mass of the asteroid, R is its radius, and m is the mass of the particle
2
1
being fired upward. The initial kinetic energy is 2 mv . The particle just
escapes if its kinetic energy is zero when it is infinitely far from the asteroid.
The final potential and kinetic energies are both zero. Conservation of energy
yields GMm/R + mv2 = 0. We replace GM/R with agR, where ag is the
acceleration due to gravity at the surface. Then, the energy equation becomes
agR + v2 = 0. We solve for v:
v
(b)

2 ag R

2(3.0 m/s 2 ) (500 103 m) 1.7 103 m/s.

Initially the particle is at the surface; the potential energy is Ui = GMm/R and
the kinetic energy is Ki = mv2. Suppose the particle is a distance h above the
surface when it momentarily comes to rest. The final potential energy is Uf =
GMm/(R + h) and the final kinetic energy is Kf = 0. Conservation of energy
yields
GMm 1 2
GMm

mv
.
R
2
Rh
We replace GM with agR2 and cancel m in the energy equation to obtain
ag R 2
1 2
ag R v
.
2
( R h)
2ag R 2
2a g R v 2

2(3.0 m/s 2 ) (500 103 m) 2

(500 103 m)
2(3.0 m/s 2 ) (500 103 m) (1000 m/s) 2

2.5 105 m.

(c)

Initially the particle is a distance h above the surface and is at rest. Its potential
energy is Ui = GMm/(R + h) and its initial kinetic energy is Ki = 0. Just
1 mv 2
before it hits the asteroid its potential energy is Uf = GMm/R. Write 2 f
for the final kinetic energy. Conservation of energy yields
GMm
GMm 1 2

mv .
Rh
R
2
2
We substitute agR for GM and cancel m, obtaining
ag R 2
1

ag R v 2 .
Rh
2

v 2a g R

2a g R 2
Rh

2(3.0 m/s 2 ) (500 103 m)

2(3.0 m/s 2 )(500 103 m) 2

(500 103 m) + (1000 103 m)

1.4 103 m/s.

v
8.

(a)
(b)

GM

r
T

6.673 10 0.85 1.99 10 8.27 10

0.11 1.50 10
11

30

11

2 r
1.25 10 6 s 14.5 days
v

m/s