Two satellites, A and B

PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Fields and their consequences · Fields and their consequences

Problem

Two satellites, A and B, each of mass

500\,\text{kg}

, revolve in coplanar circular orbits about the Earth with radii

2R_{E}

and

4R_{E}

respectively. (a) (i) Determine the ratio of their orbital speeds

v_{A}:v_{B}

. (b) (ii) Calculate the ratio of their time periods of revolution

T_{B}:T_{A}

. (c) (iii) Find the difference in their orbital kinetic energies. (d) Given:

G = 6.67\times10^{-11}\,\text{N m}^2\text{kg}^{-2}

M_{E} = 6.0\times10^{24}\,\text{kg}

R_{E} = 6.4\times10^{6}\,\text{m}

. Ignore all perturbations.