Question: If a planet is suddenly

Date/C: 18-01-2017/4074/A4988

Answer: If the mass of sun is M and radius of the planet’s orbit is r, then as v 0  GM / r  .
2r r 4 2 r 3
T   2r , i .e., T 2 
v0 Gm GM

Now if the planet [when stopped in the orbit] has velocity v when it is at a distance x from
the sun, by conservation of mechanical energy,

1  GMm  GMm
mv 2      0
2  x  r

 dx 
Or    
2
2GM  r  x 
. i.e., 
dx

2GM r  x
 dt  
r  x   dt r x

t r 0 x 
Or 
0
dt    
2GM r 
 dx
 r  x  
Substituting x  r sin2  and solving the RHS,

 x   r sin2 
  r  
x dx     r  r sin2   r .2sin  cos d 
0
r
1  cos2 d   r   
0 1
= r  sin2  
 /2
 2   /2 2

*
r  r 
t 
2GM  2 

Which in the light of equation (i) reduces to

1  2
t T, i .e., t  T
4 2  8 

Best Wishes!

Aakash “Ask an Expert” Team