PencilGo

Grade 11 · Science · Physics

11th grade Satellites: orbital speed and period worksheet

6 printable versionsBuilding Confidence10 questions · answer keyFree · no account

Level: Building Confidence · On Level · Challenge Me

When it’s done, scan the sheet with your phone and PencilGo marks it and picks the next one. Create a free account

Version
Print

Satellites: orbital speed and period

Grade 11 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.

  1. NASA says the ISS goes around Earth about 16 times a day. How many minutes does one orbit take, Ari?

  2. A model satellite goes around Earth 15 times a day. How many minutes does one orbit take, Bo?

  3. A model satellite in a low test orbit goes around Earth 18 times a day. How many minutes does one orbit take, Esme?

  4. Read this first

    Orbit diagram (NASA values)

    The ISS circles Earth 370–460 km above the surface. A velocity arrow points along the orbit; a gravity arrow points from the ISS to Earth's center.

  5. In the diagram, which way does gravity pull the ISS, Jun?

    • Along its orbit
    • Away from Earth
    • Toward Earth's center

  6. In the diagram, what would the ISS do if gravity suddenly stopped, Kira?

    • Keep circling Earth in the same orbit
    • Go straight along its velocity
    • Fall straight down

  7. The ISS orbits 370–460 km up; the Moon orbits 384,400 km away. Which moves faster in its orbit, Milo?

    • The Moon, since its orbit is bigger
    • The ISS
    • They move at the same speed

  8. NASA gives the Moon's orbital speed as 1.022 km/s. The ISS moves at about 7.7 km/s. About how many times as fast is the ISS, Noah?

    • About 7.5 times
    • About 75 times
    • About the same speed

  9. What keeps the ISS circling Earth instead of flying off into space, Ren?

    • Earth's gravity
    • It is above the reach of gravity
    • Its engines pushing it up

  10. A tool let go of inside the ISS floats beside the wall. Why, Tala?

    • There is no gravity at the ISS's height
    • Air inside holds it up
    • Both fall around Earth together

  11. If a model satellite's sideways speed dropped to zero, what would happen, Zee?

    • It would fall straight toward Earth
    • It would stay in place
    • It would drift away into space
PencilGopencilgo.com

11th grade Satellites: orbital speed and period worksheet – printable
Print: 123456

About this worksheet

Satellites: orbital speed and period. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can explain an orbit. Gravity pulls toward Earth's center while the satellite's sideways speed carries it around, so it falls without landing; things inside the ISS float because they fall together.
  • I can find orbital speed, v = √(GM ÷ r), and period, T = 2π√(r³ ÷ GM), with r measured from Earth's center, using NASA's GM = 398,600 km³/s².
  • I can say that lower orbits are faster and shorter. The ISS (370–460 km) moves at about 7.6–7.7 km/s and takes about 92–94 min; the Moon moves at 1.022 km/s and takes 27.32 days.

Standard: HS-PS2-4, HS-ESS1-4

Words to know

orbit: The curved path of one body around another

orbital speed: The speed a body needs to stay in a circular orbit

period: The time for one full orbit

GM: Earth's mass times G: 398,600 km³/s²

reboost: An engine burn that raises a sinking orbit

Common mistakes

Your child divided hours instead of minutes. A day has 24 × 60 = 1440 minutes.

Your child thought there is no gravity in orbit. Gravity at the ISS's height is still close to the surface value; things float because they fall together.

Your child thought higher orbits are faster. Gravity is weaker farther out, so a higher circular orbit is slower and takes longer.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with satellites: orbital speed and period?

Your child divided hours instead of minutes. A day has 24 × 60 = 1440 minutes.

Are these 11th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

More physics

See all Physics

Every sheet you scan goes into your child’s record: dated, marked and ready for the year-end portfolio. Homeschool records

Ready for easier practice?

Print a sheet, scan it when it’s done, and PencilGo picks the next one.

Create a free account