Circular Motion & Orbits — iLearnSTEM Labs

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labs.ilearnstem.ca — Virtual Science Laboratories

Ontario Curriculum · Grades 9–12Beta

Circular Motion & Orbitson the pad

alt 1000 kmv₀ 7.35 km/sT —warp ×100

kinetic ½mv²0.0 MJ

gravitational −GMm/r-27036.4 MJ

total (bound < 0)-27036.4 MJ

conservation drift since launch: 0.0 ppm

Set an altitude and a launch speed, then fly. The bench never prints M for a mystery planet — weigh it from an orbit.

Physics Lab 07 · Circular Motion & Orbits — planet radius = 6371 km · drag to orbit, scroll to zoom

Launch setup

Orbit altitude1000 km

Launch speed (tangential)7.35 km/s

Circular speed at this altitude: 7.35 km/s

Satellite mass500 kg

Time warp×100

What the bench is doing

On the pad. Newton’s cannonball: launched sideways fast enough, the satellite falls AROUND the planet forever. Match the circular speed for a clean circle.