Table 11.1 shows some information about two of the planets in the Solar System.
| name of planet | mass of planet / kg\text{kg}kg | distance from the Sun / km\text{km}km | time for one rotation on its axis / hours\text{hours}hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 3.30 × 1023 | 57.9 × 106 | 1416 |
| Earth | 5.97 × 1024 | 149.6 × 106 | 24 |
State why the gravitational field strength at the surface of the Earth is greater than the gravitational field strength at the surface of Mercury.
Calculate the time, in Earth days, for one rotation of Mercury on its axis.
Calculate the time taken for light to travel from the Sun to Mercury. The speed of light is 3.0 × 108 m/s.
The star Proxima Centauri is about 4.24 light-years from the Sun.
Explain what is meant by one light-year.
100 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 6.1 The Earth and the Solar System, covering 6.1.1a Rotation of the Earth, the seasons and the Moon, 6.1.1b Average orbital speed, 6.1.2a Contents of the Solar System, 6.1.2b Formation of the Solar System, 6.1.2c Gravitational field strength of a planet, and 6.1.2d Orbits and gravitational attraction. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.