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8.1 Solar system; stability of orbital motions; satellites

8.1 Solar system; stability of orbital motions; satellites

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Question 10

Our solar system consists of the Sun and the objects that orbit it.

a.

Which galaxy is our solar system located in?

  • Andromeda
  • Milky Way
  • Triangulum
  • Sombrero
[1]
b.

A radio transmission from a robotic probe near Mars takes 400400400 seconds to travel to Earth. Radio waves travel at a speed of 300 000 km/s300\,000\text{ km/s}300000 km/s.

Calculate the distance between the probe and Earth. Use the equation:

distance=speed×time \text{distance} = \text{speed} \times \text{time} distance=speed×time
[2]
c.

Table 1 gives information about some of the planets in our solar system, listed in order of increasing distance from the Sun.

PlanetTime to orbit the Sun in years
Venus0.60.60.6
Earth1.01.01.0
Mars1.91.91.9
Jupiter
Saturn29.529.529.5
  1. There are some planets in our solar system missing from Table 1. How many planets are missing?
  2. Estimate how many years it takes Jupiter to orbit the Sun.
  3. Calculate how many times Venus will orbit the Sun in 181818 years.
[4]
Markscheme

8.1 Solar system; stability of orbital motions; satellites Questions

  1. GCSE
  2. /Physics
  3. /8.1 Solar system; stability of orbital motions; satellites

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.

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