Download Orbital Practice Worksheet

Orbital Practice Worksheet
What is the equation that represents Newton’s Universal Law of gravitation?
For all bodies traveling in a circular path, what is the force acting on the body?
Write the mathematical relationships for the following values for uniform circular
motion:
Circumference :
Linear Speed : v =
Centripetal Acceleration in terms of radius and linear speed: ac =
Centripetal Acceleration in terms of radius and period: ac =
Draw a free body diagram of a satellite that is in a circular orbit about the Earth.
If a body is placed in motion above the Earth and is in a circular orbit; then, what two
forces are equal to each other? (Look at your free body diagram.)
Write the above relationship in equation form and solve for the speed of an orbiting body.
Does the speed of the orbiter depend on the mass of the body?
Solve the Fc = FG for the period of an orbiting body.
ME = 5.98 x 1024 kg
RE = 6.38 x 106 m
Use the above relationships along with others to answer the following problems.
1. Find the acceleration due to gravity for a 70 kg pumpkin moving at 0.0 m/s at the
various heights above the surface of Earth listed below.
a. On the surface
b. 500 km above the Earth
2. At what distance above the surface of the Earth would a satellite have a period of
125 min? What would be the satellite’s linear speed at this distance?
3. Using the radial orbit of Moon being 3.85 x 108 m, find the linear speed of the
moon in its orbit.
4. Find the orbital period of the Moon.
5. What is the period of a satellite in a geosynchronous orbit above the Earth?
6. Find the distance a satellite used for GPS devices must be above the Earth to
maintain a geosynchronous orbit.
9.799 m/s/s, 8.427 m/s/s, 1 day, 1.903 x 106 m, 6939.3 m/s, 1017.9 m/s, 24 hrs.,
3.588x107 m/s, 27.5 days