Our solar system consists of the Sun and the objects that orbit it.
Which galaxy is our solar system located in?
A radio telemetry signal from a scientific research lander near Jupiter takes 220022002200 seconds to reach a tracking station on Earth. Radio waves travel at a speed of 300 000 km/s300\,000\text{ km/s}300000 km/s.
Calculate the distance between the lander and Earth. Use the equation: distance=speed×time\text{distance} = \text{speed} \times \text{time}distance=speed×time
Table 1 gives information about some of the planets in our solar system, listed in order of increasing distance from the Sun.
| Planet | Time to orbit the Sun in years |
|---|---|
| Mercury | 0.240.240.24 |
| Earth | 1.01.01.0 |
| Jupiter | |
| Uranus | 84.084.084.0 |
There are some planets in our solar system missing from Table 1. How many planets are missing?
Estimate how many years it takes Jupiter to orbit the Sun.
Calculate how many times Mercury will orbit the Sun in 121212 years.
Practise AQA GCSE Physics Solar system; stability of orbital motions; satellites (physics only) with exam-style questions for Foundation and Higher tier. 27 questions covering Our solar system, The life cycle of a star, and Orbital motion, natural and artificial satellites, matched to the AQA GCSE Physics (8463) specification and written in Paper 1 and Paper 2 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.