The Solar System And Gravity

Question 1

what is the solar system

Answer 1

all of the things that orbit our sun

Question 2

what does the solar system include

Answer 2

• planets
• dwarf planets
• moons
• artificial satellites
• asteroids
• comets

Question 3

what are planets

Answer 3

large objects that orbit a star

Question 4

what are dwarf planets

Answer 4

planet-like objects that arent big enough to be planets

Question 5

what are moons

Answer 5

a type of natural satellite which orbit planets with almost circular motion

Question 6

what are artificial satellites

Answer 6

objects that humans have built that usually orbit the earth in fairly circular orbits

Question 7

what are asteroids

Answer 7

• lumps of rock and metal that orbit the sun

- theyre usually found in the asteroid belt

Question 8

what are comets

Answer 8

• lumps of dust and ice that orbit the sun

- their orbits are usually highly elliptical

Question 9

what force acts towards the center of the sun when planets or bit the sun

Answer 9

centripetal force

Question 10

what is the speed, velocity and acceleration of a planet orbiting the sun

Answer 10

• its speed is constant
• its velocity is constantly changing
• so its acceleration is constantly changing

Question 11

what keeps the planets from travelling into the sun

Answer 11

its instantaneous velocity, which is at right angles to the acceleration

Question 12

what force attracts the planet causes it to orbit the sun in the first place

Answer 12

gravitational forces between the planet and the sun

Question 13

what does gravitational field strength depend on

Answer 13

mass of the body creating the field and the distance between the two bodies

Question 14

how does mass contribute to the gravitational field strength

Answer 14

• the larger the mass of the body

- the stronger its gravitational force

Question 15

how does distance contribute to the gravitational field strength

Answer 15

• the closer you get to a star or planet

- the stronger the gravitational force

Question 16

how does the distance between two bodies impact the speed of the orbiting object

Answer 16

• the stronger the force, the larger the instantaneous velocity needed to balance it
• so the closer you get to a star or planet, the faster you need to go to remain in orbit

Question 17

when does the size of an orbit for a stable object change

Answer 17

• when the speed of the object changes

- faster moving objects will move in a stable orbit with a smaller radius than slower moving objects