AP Physics Free Response Practice Gravitation ANSWERS

1977M3

GMM M v2
1 GM
=
v=
a. Fg = Fc gives (2 R)2
.
Solving
for
v
gives
R
2 R

( ( ))

GMM
1
GMM
1
1 GM
2
+2 M v =
+2 M
b. E = PE + KE =
2R
2
2R
2
2 R

G M
4R

c.

d.

Fg2 = Fg1 = Fc

( 2 M ) v 22 M v 12
=
1
2
gives v2/v1 =
d
d
3
3
1984M2

G Mem
2

m v2
2 Re

G Me
v
=
giving
2 Re

a.

Fg = Fc gives

b.

conservation of momentum gives (3m)v0 mv0 = (4m)v giving v = v0

(2 R e )

( )

G M e (4 m) 1
2 G M e m
7 G M e m
1 G Me
+ (4 m)v 2 =
+2 m
=
c. E = PE + KE =
2 Re
2
Re
2 2 Re
4 Re

1992M3

GMm 1
+ m v 2 = 8.1 109 J
R
2

a.

E = PE + KE =

b.
c.

L = mvr = 8.5 1013 kg-m2/s

Angular momentum is conserved so mvara = mvbrb giving vb = 2.4 103 m/s

GMm mv 2
GM
=
v=
2
R
R
R

d.

Fg = Fc gives

e.

Escape occurs when E = PE + KE = 0 giving

1994M3

= 5.8 103 m/s

GMm 1
2GM
+ m v 2=0v esc =
R
2
R

= 8.2 103 m/s

G M e m 1
+ m v 02
a
2

a.

E = PE + KE =

b.
c.

L = mvr = mv0a
Conservation of angular momentum gives mv0a = mvbb, or vb = v0a/b

G Me
GMm mv 2
=
v=
d. Fg = Fc gives
2
R
a
R
e.

The work done is the change in energy of the satellite. Since the potential energy of the satellite is constant, the

G Me
1
W
=
KE=
m
v 02
change in energy is the change in kinetic energy, or
2
a

1995M3
2

2 r
v2 4 ra
v=
a= =
T
r
T2

a.
b.

The centripetal force on star A is due to the gravitational force exerted by star B.

M a aa=
c.

G Ma Mb
(r a+ r b)2

M b=

and substituting part (a) gives

4 2 r a (r a + r b)2
GT2

The same calculations can be performed with the roles of star A and star B switched.

M a=

4 2 r b (r a + r b)2
GT2

2 ra
2 rb
2
2
2
(M a r a + M b r b )
d. Ltotal = Mavara + Mbvbrb = Ma
r
r
a + Mb
b =
T
T
T
2007M2
a. v = 2R/T gives R = 3.83 106 m

GMm mv 2
v2 R
=
M
=
b. Fg = Fc gives
R
G
R2

= 6.64 1023 kg

GMm 1
+ m v 2 = 5.38 109 J
R
2

c.

E = PE + KE =

d.
e.

From Keplers third law r3/T2 = constant so if r decreases, then T must also.
Conservation of angular momentum gives mv1r1 = mv2r2 so v2 = r1v1/r2, but the distances above the surface are
given so the radius of Mars must be added to the given distances before plugging them in for each r. This gives
v2 = 3.34 103 m/s.

2001M2
a.

i.

Fg = Fc gives

2
G MJ
GMm mv
=
v=
2
R
R
R

T=
ii. v = d/T = 2R/T giving

b.
c.

2 R
2 R
4 2 R3
=
=
v
GMJ
GMJ
R

Plugging numerical values into a.ii. above gives R = 1.59 108 m

i.

ii.

2005M2

F=

a.

G MS m
R2

GMm mv 2
GM 2 R
=
v=
=
2
b. Fg = Fc gives
R
R
T
R

gives the desired equation T =

4 2 R3
GM
2

c.

T vs. R will yield a straight line (let y = T and x = R , we have the answer to b. as
the quantity in parentheses is the slope of the line.

d.

e.

f.

From part c. we have an expression for the slope of the line.

Using the slope of the above line gives MS = 5.64 1026 kg

y=

( )

4
x where
GM