Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) · PHYSICS · Chapter
Motion in the Universe
55 practice questions
Topics covered
Practice questions
11–20 of 27 · Easy
Question 11
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Explain why moons always orbit their planets rather than moving away into space.
Question 12
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →If the distance between a planet and its moon is doubled, by what factor does the gravitational force between them change?
Question 13
3 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →A planet and an artificial satellite are shown below.
Planet and satellite orbit. (a)[1 mark]Draw an arrow on the diagram to show the direction of the force acting on the satellite.
(b)[2 marks]Explain why this force is always directed towards the planet.
Question 14
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Describe two differences between the orbit of a comet and the orbit of a planet.
Question 15
1 mark · Easy
Answer and see the solution →How long does it take the Moon to orbit the Earth once? Give your answer in days.
Question 16
1 mark · Easy
Answer and see the solution →State the unit for gravitational field strength.
Question 17
1 mark · Easy
Answer and check →Which planet has the highest gravitational field strength among the following?
- A.Mars
- B.Venus
- C.Jupiter
- D.Mercury
Question 18
1 mark · Easy
Answer and see the solution →State the two factors that affect the gravitational field strength at the surface of a planet.
Question 19
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →A satellite orbits a planet at a constant radius of 10,000 km and completes one orbit every 20,000 seconds. Calculate its average orbital speed in km/s. Give your answer to 2 significant figures.
Question 20
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Explain why satellites in low orbits travel at a higher speed than satellites in high orbits around Earth.