A space-probe of mass is located at a point where its distance from the centre of a…
PHYSICS · Subjective · A Level · Physics · Fields and their consequences · Fields and their consequences
Problem
A space-probe of mass 1200kg is located at a point where its distance from the centre of a certain planet is 3R, where R is the planet’s radius. At this location the probe experiences an attractive gravitational force of 1800N towards the planet’s centre.
(a) Determine the gravitational force that will act on the probe when it moves to a point where its distance from the planet’s centre becomes 1.5R.
(b) At what distance (expressed in terms of R) from the planet’s centre will the magnitude of the gravitational force on the probe become 200N?
(c) State two assumptions made about the planet and the probe that justify the use of the formula applied in parts (a) and (b).