17 - gravitational fields

Question 1

Define gravitational field

Answer 1

a region in space where a mass experiences a gravitational force

Question 2

Define centre of mass

Answer 2

the point at which we consider the total mass of the object to be concentrated

Question 3

Define Newton’s law of gravitation

Answer 3

any two point masses attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversly proportional to the square of their seperation

Question 4

Define gravitational field strength

Answer 4

the gravitational force exerted per unit mass on a small object placed at that point

Question 5

Define gravitational potential

Answer 5

at a point is the work done per unit mass in bringing a point mass from infinity to that point

Question 6

Define orbital period

Answer 6

the time taken by an object to complete one orbit

Question 7

Define geostationary orbit

Answer 7

an orbit of a satellite such that the satellite remains directly above the same point of the earth at all times