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Gravitational fields and orbits: Edexcel A‑Level Physics questions

Every Edexcel A-Level Physics exam question on Gravitational fields and orbits (specification points 174–180), 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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1,540 questions

  1. Q17(a)(ii)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    2 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 17(a)(ii): Calculate the magnitude of the force F between Bennu and Earth in 2060. mass of Earth = 5.98 × 10 24 kg (2) F =

  2. Q17(b)

    June 2025 · Paper 2

    4 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2, question 17(b): The orbital time of Bennu around the Sun is 1.17 years. Calculate the mass of the Sun. average distance of Bennu from the Sun = 1.70 × 10 11 m mass of Bennu = 7

  3. Q2

    June 2024 · Paper 2

    1 markGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 2, question 2: A satellite of mass m orbits the Earth with speed v. What is the speed of a satellite of mass 2m orbiting at the same distance from the Earth? v A 2 B v C v 2 D

  4. Q5

    June 2024 · Paper 2

    1 markGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 2, question 5: A particle P has charge and mass. The particle causes an electric field and a gravitational field. Which of the following statements is correct, at a distance r

  5. Q18(e)

    June 2023 · Paper 2

    5 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 2, question 18(e): Galileo was the first person to observe Jupiter’s larger moons. Ganymede is Jupiter’s largest moon. The distance between the centre of Ganymede and the centre o

  6. Q12

    June 2022 · Paper 2

    3 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 2, question 12: In February 2021 the spacecraft Perseverance Rover landed on Mars. When the spacecraft was 11.0 km above the surface of Mars, parachutes opened to slow the desc

  7. Q8

    November 2021 · Paper 2

    1 markGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2, question 8: The acceleration of free fall at the surface of the Earth is 9.81 m s−2. The mass of the Earth is M and the diameter of the Earth is D. Which of the following g

  8. Q17(a)

    November 2021 · Paper 2

    3 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2, question 17(a): Calculate the orbital period for a star in a circular orbit at a distance of 1.9 × 1014 m from a black hole of this mass. (3) Orbital period =

  9. Q17(b)(i)

    November 2021 · Paper 2

    2 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2, question 17(b)(i): Show that the change in gravitational potential between the closest and most distant points in this orbit is about 3 × 1013 J kg−1. (2)

  10. Q17(b)(ii)

    November 2021 · Paper 2

    3 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 2, question 17(b)(ii): At its point of closest approach, the star is travelling at a speed of 8.1 × 106 m s−1. Calculate the speed of S0-2 at the furthest point in its orbit using the

  11. Q6

    October 2020 · Paper 2

    1 markGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    October 2020 Paper 2, question 6: A proton can be considered to be both a point charge and a point mass. There is an electric field and a gravitational field associated with the proton. Which of

  12. Q16(b)

    October 2020 · Paper 2

    4 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    October 2020 Paper 2, question 16(b): The gravitational potential between the Earth and the Moon due to the combined effect of their gravitational fields increases to a maximum value of −1.28 MJ kg−

  13. Q16(c)

    October 2020 · Paper 2

    3 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    October 2020 Paper 2, question 16(c): Four billion years ago, the Moon had a different orbital period, because it was closer to the Earth than it is today. Calculate the period of the Moon’s orbit f

  14. Q11(c)(i)

    October 2020 · Paper 3

    2 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    October 2020 Paper 3, question 11(c)(i): A space station in a geostationary orbit is above the equator and has a period of 24 hours. Explain one advantage of locating the space station in a geostationa

  15. Q11(c)(ii)

    October 2020 · Paper 3

    4 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    October 2020 Paper 3, question 11(c)(ii): Calculate the height h of the space station above the equator when it is in a geostationary orbit. mass of Earth = 6.00 × 1024 kg 24 hours = 8.64 × 104 s (4) h

  16. Q6(a)(i)

    June 2019 · Paper 3

    3 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2019 Paper 3, question 6(a)(i): Show that the height of HST above the surface of the Earth is about 6 × 105 m. (3)

  17. Q6(a)(ii)

    June 2019 · Paper 3

    2 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2019 Paper 3, question 6(a)(ii): Calculate the increase in the gravitational potential energy as HST is raised, from its initial position at the Earth’s surface, to its orbital height. mass of

  18. Q6(a)(iii)

    June 2019 · Paper 3

    4 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2019 Paper 3, question 6(a)(iii): A student suggests that giving HST more energy than that required in (ii) would result in the satellite orbiting at a greater height and with a greater speed. A

  19. Q15(a)(i)

    June 2018 · Paper 2

    4 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Paper 2, question 15(a)(i): Determine whether this suggestion is correct. (4)

  20. Q15(a)(ii)

    June 2018 · Paper 2

    2 marksGravitational fields and orbits
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Paper 2, question 15(a)(ii): The elliptical orbit chosen had advantages over this circular orbit. Explain one advantage. (2)
All 25 questions on Gravitational fields and orbits, as a list
  1. June 2025, Paper 2, Q17(a)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the magnitude of the force F between Bennu and Earth in 2060. mass of Earth = 5.98 × 10 24 kg (2) F =
  2. June 2025, Paper 2, Q17(b) (4 marks): The orbital time of Bennu around the Sun is 1.17 years. Calculate the mass of the Sun. average distance of Bennu from the Sun = 1.70 × 10 11 m mass of Bennu = 7
  3. June 2024, Paper 2, Q2 (1 mark): A satellite of mass m orbits the Earth with speed v. What is the speed of a satellite of mass 2m orbiting at the same distance from the Earth? v A 2 B v C v 2 D
  4. June 2024, Paper 2, Q5 (1 mark): A particle P has charge and mass. The particle causes an electric field and a gravitational field. Which of the following statements is correct, at a distance r
  5. June 2023, Paper 2, Q18(e) (5 marks): Galileo was the first person to observe Jupiter’s larger moons. Ganymede is Jupiter’s largest moon. The distance between the centre of Ganymede and the centre o
  6. June 2022, Paper 2, Q12 (3 marks): In February 2021 the spacecraft Perseverance Rover landed on Mars. When the spacecraft was 11.0 km above the surface of Mars, parachutes opened to slow the desc
  7. November 2021, Paper 2, Q8 (1 mark): The acceleration of free fall at the surface of the Earth is 9.81 m s−2. The mass of the Earth is M and the diameter of the Earth is D. Which of the following g
  8. November 2021, Paper 2, Q17(a) (3 marks): Calculate the orbital period for a star in a circular orbit at a distance of 1.9 × 1014 m from a black hole of this mass. (3) Orbital period =
  9. November 2021, Paper 2, Q17(b)(i) (2 marks): Show that the change in gravitational potential between the closest and most distant points in this orbit is about 3 × 1013 J kg−1. (2)
  10. November 2021, Paper 2, Q17(b)(ii) (3 marks): At its point of closest approach, the star is travelling at a speed of 8.1 × 106 m s−1. Calculate the speed of S0-2 at the furthest point in its orbit using the
  11. October 2020, Paper 2, Q6 (1 mark): A proton can be considered to be both a point charge and a point mass. There is an electric field and a gravitational field associated with the proton. Which of
  12. October 2020, Paper 2, Q16(b) (4 marks): The gravitational potential between the Earth and the Moon due to the combined effect of their gravitational fields increases to a maximum value of −1.28 MJ kg−
  13. October 2020, Paper 2, Q16(c) (3 marks): Four billion years ago, the Moon had a different orbital period, because it was closer to the Earth than it is today. Calculate the period of the Moon’s orbit f
  14. October 2020, Paper 3, Q11(c)(i) (2 marks): A space station in a geostationary orbit is above the equator and has a period of 24 hours. Explain one advantage of locating the space station in a geostationa
  15. October 2020, Paper 3, Q11(c)(ii) (4 marks): Calculate the height h of the space station above the equator when it is in a geostationary orbit. mass of Earth = 6.00 × 1024 kg 24 hours = 8.64 × 104 s (4) h
  16. June 2019, Paper 3, Q6(a)(i) (3 marks): Show that the height of HST above the surface of the Earth is about 6 × 105 m. (3)
  17. June 2019, Paper 3, Q6(a)(ii) (2 marks): Calculate the increase in the gravitational potential energy as HST is raised, from its initial position at the Earth’s surface, to its orbital height. mass of
  18. June 2019, Paper 3, Q6(a)(iii) (4 marks): A student suggests that giving HST more energy than that required in (ii) would result in the satellite orbiting at a greater height and with a greater speed. A
  19. June 2018, Paper 2, Q15(a)(i) (4 marks): Determine whether this suggestion is correct. (4)
  20. June 2018, Paper 2, Q15(a)(ii) (2 marks): The elliptical orbit chosen had advantages over this circular orbit. Explain one advantage. (2)
  21. June 2018, Paper 2, Q15(b) (4 marks): Calculate the velocity an object would have as it reached the surface of Mercury if it was released from Messenger’s maximum orbital height. Assume the object i
  22. June 2018, Paper 3, Q11(a) (2 marks): Explain why the astronauts in the ISS have an apparent weight of zero. (2)
  23. June 2017, Paper 2, Q4 (1 mark): Which of the following is not a similarity between gravitational fields and electric fields? A For a point charge or point mass, the field follows the inverse s
  24. June 2017, Paper 2, Q12(a) (2 marks): Calculate the force between the black holes. mass of Sun, M = 1.99 × 1030 kg mass of black hole A = 36M mass of black hole B = 29M (2) Force =
  25. June 2017, Paper 2, Q12(b) (3 marks): By considering the orbit of one black hole about C, determine the period of the orbit. (3) Period =

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