OCR 2023 GCE Physics A H556/03: Unified physics A Level Question Paper & Mark Scheme (Merged)

The MAVEN spacecraft orbits Mars and studies its upper atmosphere. (a) The diagram below shows the orbit of MAVEN around Mars. orbit of MAVEN (i) Mark an X on the diagram to show the point in the orbit where MAVEN has maximum acceleration. [1] (ii) Explain how Kepler’s 1st law applies to MAVEN’s orbit around Mars. ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................... [2] Mars 3 © OCR 2023 Turn over (b) The table shows data for four orbits around Mars. Phobos and Deimos are moons of Mars. An areostationary orbit for Mars is the equivalent of a geostationary orbit for Earth. Orbit Time period/hours Average distance from centre of Mars/km MAVEN 4.5 6500 Phobos 7.7 9400 Deimos 30 23000 Areostationary 25 20000 (i) Show that Kepler’s 3rd law applies to this data.