Cosmology Astro Physics Space Physics

A branch of space Space physics is the

The scientific study of
study of the natural
large scale properties science that applies phenomenon that
the law of physics and occur in our solar
(origin, evolution) of
system.

Paper 1
the universe, from Big chemistry to explain

Bang to today and on the birth, life and

into the future. death of star, planets,

galaxies, nebulae and
other planets in the
Universe.
 Astrophysics
Motion in the universe objectives
• 8.2 know that:
• the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies.
• a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars.
• our solar system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

• 8.3 understand why gravitational field strength, g, varies and know that it is different on other
planets and the Moon from that on the Earth

• 8.4 explain that gravitational force:

• causes moons to orbit planets
• causes the planets to orbit the Sun
• causes artificial satellites to orbit the Earth
• causes comets to orbit the Sun.

• 8.5 describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets

• 8.6 use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period:
2 × 𝜋 × 𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 2×𝜋×𝑟
𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = 𝑣=
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑 𝑇
Short documentary
 Our solar system
• B - use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period, to make calculations and solve problems.
• C - describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets
• C/D - explain the effect of gravitational force on different cosmic object.
• D - know that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies. a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars. our solar
system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

Our solar system is a tiny part of a galaxy called the Milky Way.
There are estimated to be over 2 trillion (2 000 000 000 000) galaxies in
the Universe. Each of these galaxies can have around 100 billion stars
within them.

Our star (The Sun) is just one of approximately 300 000 000 000 stars in our
galaxy. The whole solar system is too small to see on this picture of the
Milky Way.
It is positioned in the Orion arm about two thirds of the way from the centre
of the galaxy.
There is thought to be a massive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way.

So far, more than 3000 planets have been found orbiting stars outside our solar system (extra-terrestrial
planets) but it is thought there are likely to be more than 200 billion planets in our own galaxy.
Solar systems
 Our solar system
• B - use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period, to make calculations and solve problems.
• C - describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets
• C/D - explain the effect of gravitational force on different cosmic object.
• D - know that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies. a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars. our solar
system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

The solar system is any object that is bound by gravity to a Sun. All objects in the solar system orbit The Sun.

Other objects in
In addition to eight planets The solar system include:
in the solar system, there are • Comets
five dwarf planets and • Asteroids
nearly 200 moons. • Satellites
Dust, ice and rocks make
up the remaining mass.

For a planet to form, its own gravity must be strong enough

The Universe is thought to have formed about 13.7
to make it round or spherical in shape. Its gravitational field
billion years ago. must also be strong enough to ‘clear the neighborhood’,
The solar system formed around 4.6 billion years ago. pulling smaller nearby objects into its orbit.
 Structure of the Solar System
• B - use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period, to make calculations and solve problems.
• C - describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets
• C/D - explain the effect of gravitational force on different cosmic object.
• D - know that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies. a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars. our solar
system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

Moons

Moons are natural satellites that orbit a planet. Many planets have moons,
and some planets have many moons - Saturn has more than 50. The Earth
has just one moon - the Moon.

Dwarf planets

Pluto is a dwarf planet. The gravitational field of a dwarf planet is not strong
enough to clear the neighborhood, so there may be other objects in its orbit
around the Sun. The Solar System contains hundreds of dwarf planets,
including Ceres (the only dwarf planet in the asteroid belt).
 Structure of the Solar System
• B - use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period, to make calculations and solve problems.
• C - describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets
• C/D - explain the effect of gravitational force on different cosmic object.
• D - know that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies. a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars. our solar
system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

Asteroids

• The Solar System contains smaller objects called asteroids.

• These orbit the Sun in highly elliptical orbits, which are oval or
egg-shaped and may take millions of years to complete.

• Asteroids are made of metals and rocky material. There are large
numbers of asteroids orbiting the Sun in the asteroid belt between
Mars and Jupiter. There are also many in a region beyond
Neptune called the Kuiper Belt.
 Structure of the Solar System
• B - use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period, to make calculations and solve problems.
• C - describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets
• C/D - explain the effect of gravitational force on different cosmic object.
• D - know that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies. a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars. our solar
system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

Comets

The Solar System also contains small objects called comets.

Comets are similar to asteroids, but are made of rocky

material, dust and ice.

As a comet approaches the Sun, it begins to vaporize, which

means that it turns into a gas. It then produces a distinctive tail.
 Weight, mass and gravitational field strength
• B - use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period, to make calculations and solve problems.
• C - describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets
• C/D - explain the effect of gravitational force on different cosmic object.
• D - know that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies. a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars. our solar
system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

• The weight of an object is the force on it caused by the gravity due to the planet.

• The weight of an object and the gravitational field strength are directly proportional.

• For a given mass, the greater the gravitational field strength of the planet, the greater its weight.

• Weight can be calculated using the equation: weight = mass × gravitational field strength

This is when:

• weight (W) is measured in newtons (N)

W = mg • mass (m) is measured in kilograms (kg)

• gravitational field strength (g) is measured in newtons per kilogram (N/kg)

https://youtu.be/UHK-fbdbwF8
https://youtu.be/UHK-fbdbwF8
 Satellites
• B - use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period, to make calculations and solve problems.
• C - describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets
• C/D - explain the effect of gravitational force on different cosmic object.
• D - know that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies. a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars. our solar
system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

A satellite is anything that orbits a celestial body (star, planet, moon etc). Both natural and artificial satellites exist.

Natural satellites

• The Moon is the Earth’s natural satellite. Scientists believe that it was
formed when a Mars-sized planet collided with the early Earth, throwing
some of the crust into orbit.

• However the Moon was formed, it is locked into the Earth’s gravitation
field and circles our planet once every 27.5 days.

• Many other moons are the natural satellites for other planets in our solar
system and beyond.
 Artificial satellites

These have been placed into orbit by man. Among other jobs, artificial satellites orbiting the Earth are used for:

• telecommunications (transmitting information between distant parts of the Earth)

• satellite navigation systems (‘satnav’)
• spying on other countries
• weather forecasts

Communications satellites occupy a geostationary orbit. They are in orbit above the equator at just the right distance so
that it takes them one day to complete an orbit.

As a result, they always appear in the same position when seen from the ground. This is why satellite television dishes can
be bolted into position and do not need to move.

Earth observation and monitoring satellites occupy polar orbits, passing over the North and South poles, and crossing the
equator twice during each orbit. The Earth spins beneath the satellite as it moves, so the satellite can scan the whole
surface of the Earth.
Satellites
Satellites and orbitals
 Orbitals
• B - use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period, to make calculations and solve problems.
• C - describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets
• C/D - explain the effect of gravitational force on different cosmic object.
• D - know that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies. a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars. our solar
system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

Orbital motion

Gravity provides the force needed to maintain stable orbit of

planets around a star and also of moons and artificial satellites
around a planet.

Explaining orbits

For an object to remain in a steady, circular orbit it must be

travelling at the right speed. The diagram shows a satellite
orbiting the Earth.
 Orbitals
• B - use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period, to make calculations and solve problems.
• C - describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets
• C/D - explain the effect of gravitational force on different cosmic object.
• D - know that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies. a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars. our solar
system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

There are three possible outcomes:

• If the satellite is moving too quickly then the gravitational attraction between the Earth and the satellite is too
weak to keep it in orbit. If this is the case, the satellite will move off into space. This occurs at speeds around or
above 11,200 metres per second (m/s).

• If the satellite is moving too slowly then the gravitational attraction will be too strong, and the satellite will fall
towards the Earth. This occurs at speeds around or below 7600 m/s.

• A stable orbit is one in which the satellite’s speed is just right - it will not move off into space or spiral into the
Earth, but will travel around a fixed path.
 Orbital speed
• B - use the relationship between orbital speed, orbital radius and time period, to make calculations and solve problems.
• C - describe the differences in the orbits of comets, moons and planets
• C/D - explain the effect of gravitational force on different cosmic object.
• D - know that the universe is a large collection of billions of galaxies. a galaxy is a large collection of billions of stars. our solar
system is in the Milky Way galaxy.

When an object moves in a circle at a constant speed, its direction constantly changes. A change in direction causes
a change in velocity.

This is because velocity is a vector quantity – it has an associated direction as well as a magnitude. A change in velocity
results in acceleration, so an object moving in a circle is accelerating even though its speed may be constant.

An object will only accelerate if a resultant force acts on it. For an object moving in a circle, this resultant force is
the centripetal force that acts towards the middle of the circle. Gravitational attraction provides the centripetal force
needed to keep planets and all types of sa0tellite in orbit.

The orbital speed of planets and satellites can be calculated by the following equation:

2 × 𝜋 × 𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 2×𝜋×𝑟

𝑜𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = 𝑣=
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑 𝑇
 Questions

The diagram shows the orbits of two satellites around the Earth.

One of the satellites is used to photograph different parts of the Earth. The other is geostationary.

• Give one use for geostationary satellites.

• Explain which satellite is geostationary. Label it on the diagram above.

• Write the equation to calculate the orbital speed of a satellite

• The radius of the Earth is 6400km, the height of a geostationary satellite

is 35 000 km above the Earth’s surface. What is the speed of the geostationary satellite?

• Give a definition for a

Natural Satellite: Artificial Satellite:
 Questions

The radius of the Earth is 6400km is to be used for all the calculations below. You must show all working and state
the units for your answer

• The table gives information about four different weather satellites:

Time to orbit Time to Average height Orbital radius of Orbital speed of satellite
Satellite the Earth orbit above the Earth satellite in km in km/s
the Earth in in km
seconds
A 94 minutes 440

B 101 minutes 760

C 24 hours 36 000

D 23 hours 58 200
minutes

• A satellite takes 24 hours to complete one orbit whilst travelling at a speed of 12km/s. At what height above the
Earth is the satellite orbiting?
 Astrophysics
Motion in the universe

Past paper questions

Paper 1

13 questions
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Answer 1-4
Question 5
Question 6
Question 7
Question 8
Question 5-8
Question 9
Question 10
Question 11
Question 9
Question 10-11
Question 12
Question 13
Question 12-13