Dynamics
Galilei 27 Orbiting Iris 2 (Part 1)
   
       
    Date : May 2008
Author : Camil Cyr, Adaptated by : Caroline Viger
College : Collège de Maisonneuve, John Abbott College
Length : 30 minutes to 1 hour
Related concept(s) : Universal Law of Gravitation, Kinematics
    The students are members of a scientific team on a mission to explore extrasolar planets. Their first task is to calculate the acceleration at orbital height and the force exerted on the space ship while it is in orbit. They will then calculate the gravitational acceleration on the surface of the planet, the force exerted by the planet on a measuring instrument, and the time it takes for that instrument to fall to the planet's surface.