152 AHL - Mechanics

The total energy of the binary star system is given by 1

2 iwx
= 2 1 2 Figure 11.16 The orbits of the two stars. The speeds of rotation can be found from 1 2 that is -Mr

M2v\

>f,M2

GM] d ( M , + M2) GM*

2

d{Mi d~

M2)

- G

MyM2

GM,M

rMtM2

V?

F = -

1 CM,Mj

If the binary star system loses energy, for vx = A^M,

d*
v? MiR in?

example because of gravitational radiation, then the energy decreases and thus the separation of the two stars, d, decreases as w e l l . This means that each star now moves faster and the rotational period decreases. This decrease in (he rotational period of a binary star system has been observed and is indirect evidence for the existence of gravity waves.

=> v', = C

d2

and thus Mi
f~~ '

M2d
*

d'

M , + M2

Questions
d(A*f, -(- M2) v;=C M} GMd(Mt + M2) M,d Show by applying Newton's law of gravitation and the second law of mechanics that a satellite (or planet) in a circular orbit of radius R around the earth (or the sun) has a period (i.e. time to complete one revolution) given by d2 M , + M2

The common period of rotation is therefore found from

T2 =

4n2R3 GM

-=m
M'rf 42-"j" lM;+M..)J CM]

where M is the mass of the attracting body (earth or sun). This is Kepler's third law. 2 Show that a satellite orbiting the earth (mass M) in a circular orbit of radius r and angular velocity a> satisfies r> = GM

4n*d

C(M, + M 3 ) This shows that if one mass ts much larger than the other, then the formula for T reduces to the familiar one from Kepler's third law.

3 What is the speed of a satellite that orbits the earth at a height of 500 km? H o w long does it take to go around the earth once?

2.11 Motion in a gravitational field 153 A satellite that always looks down at the same spot on the earth's surface is called a geosynchronous satellite. Find the distance of this satellite from the surface of the earth. Could the satellite be looking down at any point on the surface of the earth? (a) What is the gravitational potential energy stored in the gravitational field between the earth and the moon? (b) What is the earth's gravitational potential at the position of the moon? (c) Find the speed with which the moon orbits the earth. (Use the data in Appendix 3.)

HL Oith 10 Earlier in the topic of mechanics we used the expression mgh for the gravitational potential energy of a mass m. This expression is only approximate. Show, by using U = -^2?, which is the correct expression, that I he difference in gravitational potential energy of a mass on the surface of the earth and .it a height b from the earth's surface is indeed mgh provided h is small compared with the radius of the earth. (Use the binomial expansion.)

Hi only 6 A spacecraft of mass 30 000 kg leaves the earth on its way to the moon. Plot the spacecraft's potential energy as a function of its distance from the earth's centre.

11 Figure 11.18 shows the variation of the gravitational force with distance. What does the shaded area represent?

7 (a) What is the gravitational potential at a distance from the earth's centre equal to 5 earth radii? lb) What is the gravitational potential energy of a 500 kg satellite placed at a distance from the earth's centre equal to 5 earth radii? 8 Figure 11.17 shows cross-sections of two satellite orbits around the earth. (To be in orbit means that only gravity is acting on the satellite.) Discuss whether either of these orbits is possible.

Figure 11.18 For question 11.

12 Figure 11.19 shows the variation with distance of the gravitational potential (in terajoules per kilogram) due to a planet whose radius is 2.0 x 105 m. (a) Calculate the mass of the planet. (b) Show that the escape speed from the surface of the planet is v^ = y/-2V, where Vis the gravitational potential on the planet's surface. (c) Use the graph to determine the escape speed from this planet. (d) How much energy is required to move a rocket of mass 1500 kg from the surface of the planet to a distance of 1.0 x 106 m from the centre? (e) A probe is released from rest at a distance from the planet's centre of 0.50 x 106 m

orbit I equator

orbit 2

Figure 11.17 For question 8.

9 In the text it was calculated that the acceleration due to gravity at a height of 300 km above the earth's surface is far from negligible, yet astronauts orbiting in the space shuttle at such a height feel weightless. Explain why.

154 AHL - Mechanics

and allowed to crash onto the planet's surface. With what speed w i l l the probe hit the surface?

15 Figure 11.21 shows two identical satellites in circular orbits. Which satellite has the larger: (a) kinetic energy;

(b) potential energy;

V/TJ kg"1 I 0 ; -I -2 -3 ^1 -5

(c) total energy? I

f/10*i

;! /

: y
- / " i

Figure 11.19 For question 12. Figure 11.21 For queslion 15.
13 Figure 11.20 shows the variation with distance from the centre of the planet of the gravitational potential due to the planet and its moon. The planet's centre is at r - 0 and the centre of the moon is at r = 1. The units of separation are arbitrary. At the point where r = 0.75 the gravitational field is zero. (a) Determine the ratio of the mass of the planet to that of the moon. (b) With what speed must a probe be launched from the surface of the planet in order to arrive on the surface of the moon? HL only 18 What is the escape velocity from the earth if the launch takes place not on the surface of the earth but from a space station orbiting the earth at a height equal to R?l You must find the velocity of launch as measured by an observer on the space station. The launch takes place in the direction of motion of the space station. 16 Show thai the total energy of a satellite of mass m in orbit around the earth {mass M) at a distance from the Earth's centre of 5 earth radii is given by E = - ^ j j f . 17 I he total energy of a satellite during launch from the earth's surface is E = - n p ^ r , where R is the radius of the earth. It eventually settles into a circular orbit; calculate the radius of that orbit.

V/TJ kg

19 A satellite is in a circular orbit around the earth. The satellite turns on its engines so that

Figure 11.20 For question 13.

14 Prove that the total energy of the earth (mass m) as it orbits the sun (mass Mi is E = - y n V or = - ^ ^ , where r is the radius of the earth's circular orbit. Calculate this energy numerically.

a small force is exerted on the satellite in the direction of the velocity. The engines are on for a very short time and the satellite now finds itself in a new circular orbit. (a) State and explain whether the new orbit is closer to or furl her away from the earth.

211 Motion in a gravitational field 155 (b) Hence explain why the speed of the satellite will decrease. (c) It appears that a force, acting in the direction of the velocity, has actually reduced the speed. How do you explain this observation? 20 Figure 11.22 shows a planet orbiting the sun counter-clockwise, at two positions - A and B. Also shown is the gravitational force acting on the planet at each position. By decomposing the force into components normal and tangential to the path (dotted lines), explain why it is only the tangential component that does work. Hence explain why the planet will accelerate from A to P but will slow down from Pto B. 22 The diagrams in Figure 11.24 are not drawn to scale and show, separately, the earth and the moon, and the earth and the sun. A point mass m is placed at point A and then at point B. The force experienced by the mass at A due to the moon is F*^ and at B it is F^n. Similarly the forces at A and B due to the sun
.ire I.:,. .incl i,:, -

Figure 11.24 For question 22.

(a) Using data from Appendix 3, calculate the ft ratio ft _f (b) the tides on the earth have to do with the difference between the forces on opposite sides of the earth. Using your answer in (a), suggest whether the sun or the moon has the dominant role for tides on earth. 23 Show that the escape speed from the surface of a planet of radius R can be written as V.BJ. ss y/IgR, where g is the gravitational field strength on the planet's surface. 24 Consider two particles of mass m and 16m separated by a distance d. (a) Deduce that at point P, a distance | from the particle with mass m, the gravitational field strength is zero. (b) Determine the value of the gravitational potential at P. 25 (a) Deduce thai a satellite orbiting a planet of mass M in a circular orbil of radius r has a period of revolution given by J = J*j(b) A grazing orbit is one in which the orbil radius is approximately equal to the radius R of the planet. Deduce that the period of

Figure 11.22 For question 20.

21 Figure 11.23 shows a planet orbiting the sun. Explain why at points A and P of the orbit the potential energy of the planet assumes its minimum and maximum values, and determine which is which. Hence determine at what point in the orbit the plane) has the highest speed.

Figure 11.23 For question 21.

156 AHL - Mechanics revolution in a grazing orbit is given by T = Jjjr, where p is the density of the planet. (c) The period of a grazing orbit around the earth is 85 minutes and around the planet Jupiter it is 169 minutes. Deduce the ratio -fl**-. 26 (a) The acceleration of free fall at the surface of a planet is g and the radius of the planet is R. Deduce that the period of a satellite in a very low orbit is given by T = 2TTJ~. (b) Given that g = 4.5 ms"2 and R 3.4 x 10 6 m, deduce that the orbital period of the low orbit is about 91 minutes. (c) A spacecraft in orbit around this planet has a period of 140 minutes. Deduce the height of the spacecraft from the surface of the planet. 27 Two stars of equal mass M orbil a common centre as shown in Figure 11.25. The radius of the orbit of each star is R. Assume that each of the stars has a mass equal to 1.5 solar masses (solar mass = 2 X l 0 i 0 k g ) and that the initial separation of the stars is 2.0xl09m. (e) The two-star system loses energy as a result of emitting gravitational radiation. Deduce that the stars will move closer to each other. (0 (i) Explain why the fractional loss of energy per unit time may ije calculated from the expression

AE/E

3 AT/ T 2 At

where ^ ^ is the fractional decrease in period per unit time, (ii) The orbital period decreases at a rate of AT 72 ixs yr 1 . Estimate the fractional energy loss per year, (g) The two stars will collapse into each other when A = E. Estimate the lifetime, in years, of this binary star system. 28 Figure 11.26 shows equipotential surfaces due to two spherical masses.

-0.5 h

Figure 11.25 For question 27.

(a) State the magnitude of the force on each star in terms of M, R and G. (b) Deduce that the period of revolution of each star is given by the expression War* J?1 T2= GM (c) Evaluate the period numerically. (d) Calculate that the total energy of the two stars is given by CM2 E= 4R
-1.0 -0.5
0

Figure 1126 For question 28.

(a) Using the diagram, explain how it can be deduced that the masses are unequal. (b) Copy the diagram and draw in the gravitational field lines due to the two masses. (c) Explain why the equipotential surfaces are spherical very far from the two masses.

211 Motion in a gravitational field 157 29 Figure 11.27 shows the variation with distance r from the centre of a planet of the combined gravitational potential due to the planet (of v/to" J kg"1
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

mass M) and its moon (of mass nil along the line joining the planet and the moon. The horizontal axis is labelled j , where d is the centre-to-centre separation of the planet and the moon. (a) The distance d is equal to 4.8 x 10B m. Use the graph to calculate the magnitude of the gravitational field strength at the point where - 0.20. (b) Explain the physical significance of the point where j = 0.75. (c) Using the graph, calculate the ratio ~.

Figure 11.27 For question 29.