All mind maps topics

Gravity in the solar systemIB MYP Physics: Mind map

Gravitational force
Orbits

Gravity in space

Orbits and free fall

SunPlanetsMoonsSatellites
Speed and period
Free fall
Weightlessness

Exam questions on Gravity in the solar system

  1. Astronomers in Chile compare the planets orbiting the Sun. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and Neptune is the furthest.
    Explain why Neptune takes much longer than Mercury to orbit the Sun.2 marks
  2. A communications satellite orbits the Earth in a circular path at a constant height. Its engines are switched off.
    Explain why the satellite does not move off in a straight line.2 marks
  3. A student collects data about four planets. Mercury is 58 million km from the Sun and has an orbital period of 88 days. Earth is 150 million km away with a period of 365 days. Mars is 228 million km away with a period of 687 days. Jupiter is 778 million km away with a period of 4333 days.
    Describe the trend in the data and calculate how many times longer Jupiter's orbital period is than Earth's.3 marks
See the full worksheet

Written by the Exaim team, led by Shaun Daswani (Head of Upper Secondary, Improve ME Institute; MSc Financial Mathematics, Imperial College London; BSc, UCL) and Jason Daswani (operational lead, Improve ME Institute; LSE).