Table 1 shows telemetry data for four newly deployed artificial satellites orbiting Mars.
| Satellite | Mean distance from Mars' centre (km\text{km}km) | Time taken for one orbit (hours\text{hours}hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Satellite Alpha | 6 0006\,0006000 | 4.54.54.5 |
| Satellite Beta | 12 00012\,00012000 | 12.712.712.7 |
| Satellite Gamma | 18 00018\,00018000 | 23.423.423.4 |
| Satellite Delta | 24 00024\,00024000 | 36.036.036.0 |
Describe the relationship between the satellite's mean distance from Mars' centre and the time taken for one orbit.
Calculate the orbital speed of Satellite Beta in km/h\text{km/h}km/h. Use the equation:
orbital speed=2π×mean distancetime taken for one orbit \text{orbital speed} = \frac{2\pi \times \text{mean distance}}{\text{time taken for one orbit}} orbital speed=time taken for one orbit2π×mean distanceGive your answer to 3 significant figures.
19 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Physics 8.1 Solar system; stability of orbital motions; satellites, covering 8.1.1 Our solar system, 8.1.2 The life cycle of a star, and 8.1.3 Orbital motion, natural and artificial satellites. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.