Sandra Miller and Stephanie Smith

Lamar High School

Arlington, TX
This problem is
designed to occur
during a Geometry
unit on circles.

A line tangent to a
circle forms a right
angle with a radius
drawn at the point
of tangency.
 r radius of the
d planet/moon
h height of the
h r
observer (eyes)
r
d distance to the
horizon
 r radius of the
d planet/moon
h height of the
h r
observer (eyes)
r
d distance to the
horizon

2
d r h r 2

d r 2 2rh h2 r 2
d h 2r h
Object Radius Horizon
Earth 3959 mi. 3 mi.
Moon 1080 mi.
Mars 2106 mi.
Jupiter 43,441 mi.
Object Radius Horizon
Earth 3959 mi. 3 mi.
Moon 1080 mi. 1.6 mi.
Mars 2106 mi. 2.2 mi.
Jupiter 43,441 mi. 9.9 mi.
 This
problem set is geared toward a Pre-AP
Algebra I class or an Algebra II class.

Byworking through this packet, a student

will practice
Simplifying literal equations
Creating formulas
Unit conversions
Using formulas to solve problems
Sir Isaac Newton developed three equations
that we will use to develop some interesting
information about the solar system.
When a force F acts on a body of mass m, it
F ma produces in it an acceleration a equal to
the force divided by the mass.
2 The centripetal acceleration a of any body
v moving in a circular orbit is equal to the
a square of its velocity v divided by the
r radius r of the orbit.
The grativational force F between two
Gm1m2 objects is proportional to the product of
F their two masses, divided by the distance
r2 between them.
 Ifwe substitute the formula for centripetal
acceleration into the F = ma equation, we
have an equation for the orbital force:
v 2 mv 2
F m
r r

The gravitational force that the object being

orbited exerts on its satellite is
GmM
F 2
r
 Objects that are in orbit stay in orbit
because the force required to keep them
there is equal to the gravitational force that
the object being orbited exerts on its
satellite.

Ifwe set our two equations equal to each

other and solve for v, we end up with a
formula that will give us the orbital speed of
the satellite.
 Simplify the equation and solve for v:
mv 2 GmM
2
r r
 Simplify the equation and solve for v:
mv 2 GmM
2
r r
GmM
mv
2

r
Gm
v
2

r
GM
v
r
 Because the mass of the satellite m
cancelled out of the equation, if we know
the orbital velocity and the radius of the
orbit, we can find the mass of the object
being orbited.
 Rewrite the velocity equation and solve for
M:

GM
v
2

r
 Rewrite the velocity equation and solve for
M:

GM
v
2

r
v 2r GM
v 2r
M
G
 Example: Use the Moon to calculate the
mass of the Earth.

Orbital radius: r 3.84 108 m

Period: T = 27.3 days

circumference of orbit
Orbital velocity: v
period of orbit
 Example: Use the Moon to calculate the
mass of the Earth.

2r
v
T
2 3.84 108

24 hours 3600 seconds
27.3
1 day 1 hour

1023 m s
 Example: Use the Moon to calculate the
mass of the Earth.

v 2r G 6.67 10 11 N m2
M 2
G kg

6.02 10 24
kg
 Tocalculate escape velocity, we set the
equation for kinetic energy to the equation
for gravitational force and solve for v:

Kinetic energy > Force distance

1 GmM
mv 2
2
r
2 r
2GM
v
2

r
2GM
v
r
Calculate Earths escape velocity in km/s.

Earths mass: 6.02 1024 kg

Earths radius: 6.38 106 m

v 11.22 km s
 Now that weve worked through the different
equations, we can calculate the mass and
escape velocity of Mars as well as the mass
of the Sun.
One of my favorite
sites for possible
astronomy-related
math problems has
been Space Math at
http://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov.

Unfortunately, because of cutbacks in

NASAs education budget, it will not be
updated as frequently.
 Invert the
problem

Ask for an
Ask for
explanation:
prediction
oral or written

Examples or
Break into
counter-
multiple parts
examples
Original
(Standard)
Problem

Ask for
Ask for
multiple
generalization
representation

Ask questions
Automaticity that require
practice qualitative
reasoning

James Epperson, Ph.D.

 Thepowerpoint and the worksheets will be
posted on my blog at
tothemathlimit.wordpress.com.