Physics Assignment 9 M.

Prakash Academy

Physics Assignment (Gravitation)

1) What is the magnitude of the gravitational force on the particle due to

m M
the rod?

d L
2) Two particles of mass m and M are initially at rest at an infinite
distance apart. Show that any instant their relative velocity of approach attributable to gravitational attraction

is , where d is their separation at that instant.

3) A system consists of a thin ring of radius r and of mass M and a straight wire of M

linear mass density λ of infinite length placed along the axis of the ring with one
of its ends at the centre of the ring. Find the force of interaction between the λ
wire and the ring. r

4) A semicircular wire has a length L and mass M. A particle of mass m is placed at

the centre of the circle. Find the gravitational attraction on the particle due to the wire.

5) At what altitude above the earth's surface would the acceleration due to gravity be g/2? The mass of the earth
24 6
is 6.0 x 10 kg and its mean radius is 6.4 x 10 m.

6) Certain neutron stars are believed to be rotating at about one revolution per
second. If such a star has a radius of 20 km, what must be its mass so that M2
objects on its surface will not be thrown off by the rapid rotation?
M1

7) Two concentric shells of uniform density of mass M1 and M2 are situated as

shown below. Find the force on a particle of mass m when the particle is located B

at points A, B and C. The distances of these points from the center are a, b and c
•A
respectively.

C
m

a√3 8) A uniform ring of mass m and radius a is placed directly above a uniform sphere of
mass M and of equal radius, as shown on the right. The centre of the ring is at a distance
M a
a√3 from the centre of the sphere. Find the gravitational force exerted by the sphere on the
ring.
a a

9) A uniform solid metal sphere of radius a and mass M is surrounded by a thin

a P1 P2
uniform spherical shell of equal mass and radius 4a. The centre of the shell is on
the surface of the inner sphere. Find the gravitational field at the points P1 and P2. 4a

10) ------

11) If a planet of a given density were made larger, its force of attraction for an object
on its surface would increase because of the planet's greater mass but would decrease because of the
greater distance from the object to the centre of the planet. Which effect predominates?

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Physics Assignment 9 M. Prakash Academy

12) A projectile is fired vertically from the earth's surface with an initial speed of 10 km/s. Neglecting atmospheric
friction, how far above the surface of the earth would it go? Take the earth's radius as 6400 km.

13) A particle is fired vertically upward from earth's surface with a speed of 15 km/s. With what velocity will it
move in interstellar space? Assume only earth's gravitational field.

14) The gravitational field (expressed in N/kg) in a region is given by

a) Find the magnitude of gravitational force acting on a particle of mass 2.0 kg placed at the origin.
b) Find the potential at the points (12 m, 0) an (0, 5 m) if the potential at the origin is taken to be zero.
c) Find the change in the gravitational potential energy if a particle of mass 2 kg is taken from the origin to
the point (12 m, 5 m).
d) Find the change in potential energy if the particle is taken from (12 m, 0) to (0, 5 m)

15) A sphere of matter, mass M, radius a, has a concentric cavity, radius b, as shown in
cross-section.

a) Sketch the gravitational force exerted by the sphere on a particle of mass m,

b
located a distance r from the centre of the sphere, as a function of r in the range a

 . Consider points r=0, a, b and in particular  .

b) Sketch the corresponding curve for potential energy U(r) of the system
c) From these graphs how would you obtain the graphs of gravitational field strength
and gravitational potential due to the sphere?

16) With what horizontal speed must a satellite be projected at 160 km above the surface of the earth so that it
will have a circular orbit about the earth? What will be its period of revolution?

17)
a) Satellite A is in a circular earth orbit with radius R and satellite B is in a circular earth orbit with radius 4R.
Calculate the ratio of the periods of revolution .
b) A pendulum and a mass-spring system oscillate with approximately the same frequency on the earth's
surface. How do their frequencies compare if they are mounted first in satellite A then in B?

18) Two satellites S1 and S2 revolve around a planet in coplanar circular S2

orbits in the same sense. Their periods of revolution are 1.0 h and 8.0 h
4
respectively. The radius of the orbit of S1 is 10 km. When S2 is closest S1
to S1, find

a) Their relative speed

b) the angular speed of S2 as observed by an astronaut in S1

19) Consider two satellites A and B of equal mass m, moving in the same circular orbit of
radius r around the earth E but in opposite senses of rotation and therefore on a collision
course.

a) Find the total mechanical energy of the system.

b) If the collision is completely inelastic so that wreckage remains as one piece of

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Physics Assignment 9 M. Prakash Academy

tangled material (mass = 2m), find the total mechanical energy immediately after collision..
c) Describe the subsequent motion of the wreckage.

20) Consider an artificial satellite in a circular orbit about the earth. State how the following properties of the
satellite vary with the radius r of its orbit:

a) Period
b) kinetic energy
c) angular momentum
d) speed

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21) A satellite is revolving around Mars in a circular orbit of radius 9.4 x 10 km and the period of rotation is 27540
s. Calculate the mass of Mars.

22) How is the orbital speed of a planet related to its orbital radius (assumed circular)?

23) The gravitational force exerted by the sun on the moon is about twice as great as the gravitational force
exerted by the earth on the moon. Why then doesn't moon escape from the earth (during a solar eclipse, for
example)?

24) Explain why the following reasoning is wrong: ``The sun attracts all bodies on the earth. At midnight, when the
sun is directly below, it pulls on an object in the same direction as the pull of the earth on that object. At noon
when the sun is directly above, it pulls on an object in a direction opposite to the pull of the earth. Hence, all
objects should be heavier at midnight (or night) than they are at noon (or day)''.

25) Can satellite move in a stable orbit in a plane not passing through the earth's centre? Explain.

26) An artificial satellite of the earth releases a package. Neglecting effects of air resistance, determine whether
the package will strike the earth and if so, where - at a point ahead, directly below, or behind the satellite at
the instant of the impact, or directly under the satellite at release time?

30 11
27) In a double star, two stars of mass 3 x 10 kg each rotate about their common centre of mass, 10 m away.

a) What is their common angular speed?

b) Suppose that a meteor passes through this centre of mass moving at right angles to the orbital plane of
the stars. What must its speed be if it is to escape from the gravitational field of the double star?

28) The minimum and maximum distances of a planet of mass m from a star of mass M are r1 and r2 respectively.

a) Find the velocities of the planet at those positions

b) Find the total energy of the planet in the orbit
c) Find the angular momentum of the planet

29) Consider two planets of the same mass revolving about a common star. One of the planets moves in a
perfect circle, while the other moves in an ellipse. The major axis of the ellipse equals the diameter of the
circle. Show that both the planets have the same mechanical energy. Disregard the gravitational interaction
between the planets.

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Physics Assignment 9 M. Prakash Academy

30) A space vehicle of mass m is in circular orbit, of radius 2R, about the earth. The
mass of the earth is M and radius is R. It is desired to transfer the vehicle to a
2R
circular orbit of radius 4R
4R
A B
a) What is the minimum energy expenditure required for the transfer?
b) An efficient way to accomplish the transfer is to use a semi-elliptical orbit
(known as Hohmann transfer orbit) as shown. What kinetic energy changes
are required at the points of intersection? Are they positive or negative?

31) A particle , of mass , is acted upon by the gravitational force from the second particle, , which remains
fixed. Initially when is very far from (at practically infinite distance), it has velocity directed along the line
shown. The perpendicular distance between this line and is . Eventually, the shortest distance between
the trajectory of from is found to be . Determine the mass of .

32) Imagine a spherical non-rotating planet of mass , radius that has no atmosphere. A satellite is fired from
the surface of this planet with speed at to the local vertical. In its subsequent motion the satellite
reaches a maximum distance of from the center of the planet. Determine .

33) A planet moves in an elliptical orbit around the Sun. At the moment when it is at distance from the Sun, it
velocity is and the angle between the position vector and velocity vector is equal to . Determine the
minimum and maximum distance that will separate the planet from the Sun.

34) An artificial satellite (mass ) of the Moon revolves in a circular orbit whose radius is times the radius of the
Moon. Acceleration due to gravity on Moon’s surface is . In the process of motion, the satellite experiences a
slight resistance due to cosmic dust. Assuming the resistance force to depend on the speed of the satellite as
, determine how long the satellite will stay in the orbit till it falls on the Moon’s surface. Hint: assume
that when the satellite is spiraling in, it is almost moving in a circular orbit ay any instant of time.

35) Two satellites of Earth move in a common plane along circular orbits. The orbital radius of one satellite is
km while that of the other satellite is km less. What time interval separates the periodic
approaches of the satellites to each other over the minimum distance? Consider motion both in the same and
opposite sense.

36) Consider a uniform planet of mass and radius . Determine the pressure at the center of this planet.

37) Consider a uniform planet of radius with a cavity of radius as shown. The mass of
the planet with cavity is . A small particle of mass is dropped from the top of the
cavity. The particle collides elastically with the wall on the other side of the cavity.
Determine the time taken by the particle to return to its original position. Mass of the
particle need not be very small with respect to that of the planet.

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Physics Assignment 9 M. Prakash Academy

38) Consider a stationary, non-rotating planet of mass and radius . A particle is projected from the surface of

the planet in radially upward direction with speed . Determine the time after which the particle returns
to the surface of the planet.

39) The commander of a spaceship that has shut down its engines and is
coasting near a strange looking gas cloud notes that the ship is following Space ship
a circular path will lead directly into the cloud. He also deduces from the
ship’s motion that its angular momentum with respect to the center of the Ɵ
Cloud
cloud is not changing. What attractive central force (by the cloud) would
account for such an orbit? Determine its dependence of the polar
Circular
coordinates of the spaceship.
Orbit

ANSWER KEY

GMm GM  2 GMm G ( M 1  M 2 )m GM 1m
(1) (3) (4) (5) 2.6 x 106 m (6) 4.7 x 1024kg (7) , , Zero
d (d  L) r L2
a2 b2

3GMm GM 61GM
(8) 2
(9) FP1  2
, FP 2  2
(12) 2.6 x 104 km (13) 10 km/s (14) (a) 26 N (b) -60 J, -60 J
8a 16a 900a
(c) 240 J (d) Zero (16) 7.8 km/s (17) (a) 1:8 (b) The ratio is zero in both (18) (a) π x 104 km/h (b) π/3 rad/h

GMm 2GMm 3 1 1
(19) (a) (b) (c) Straight down toward earth (20) (a)  r 2 (b)  (c)  r (d) 
r r r r

2r1GM 2r2GM
(21) 6.5 x 1023 kg (27) (a) 2 x 10-7 rad/s (b) 90 km/s (28) (a) vmin  , vmax 
r2 (r1  r2 ) r1 (r1  r2 )

GMm 2r1r2GMm 2 GMm GMm GMm

(b) (c) (30) (a) (b) Increase of at A and further increase of
r 1  r2 r1  r2 8R 12 R 24 R

(31) (32) (34) , where (34)

(35) , where for same sense motion, for opposite sense motion (36)

(37) (38) (39)