AQA GCSE Physics Physics Paper 2 (Foundation), November 2020: Question 2
10 marks · Standard Demand difficulty · Short Answer
Answer questions about the solar system, planets, moons, galaxies, and calculate the diameter of the Sun.
Practise this questionQuestion
Question text
02 Our solar system includes the Sun, planets and moons.
02.1 Complete the sentence.
Choose the answer from the box.
[1 mark]
Andromeda Milky Way Pinwheel Whirlpool
Our solar system is part of the galaxy.
02.2 Planets orbit the Sun.
What force causes planets to orbit the Sun?
[1 mark]
Table 2 shows data about five planets.
Table 2
Planet Mean distance from the Sun Mean surface temperature
in millions of kilometres in °C
Earth 150 +22
Mars 228 –48
Jupiter 778 X
Saturn 1430 –178
Uranus 2870 –200
02.3 How does the mean surface temperature of the planets in Table 2 change as the
mean distance from the Sun increases?
[1 mark]
02.4 Predict the mean surface temperature of Jupiter (X) in Table 2.
[1 mark]
*08* Mean surface temperature of Jupiter = °C
02.5 Five of the planets in the solar system are given in Table 2.
How many other planets are there in the solar system?
[1 mark]
Tick ( ) one box.
Two
Three
Four
Five
02.6 Our Moon is a natural satellite.
Why is the Moon classified as a satellite?
[1 mark]
Tick ( ) one box.
It has no atmosphere.
It has no gravitational field.
It is too small to be a planet.
It orbits a planet. 10
02.7 How are planets and moons similar?
[2 marks]
Tick ( ) two boxes.
Their mass is about the same.
Their orbits are circular.
Their surfaces are the same colour.
They are similar in diameter.
They do not emit visible light.
02.8 The diameter of the Earth is 13 000 km.
The diameter of the Sun is 110 times greater than the diameter of the Earth.
Calculate the diameter of the Sun.
[2 marks]
Diameter of the Sun = km
Mark scheme
Show the mark scheme
Question 2
AO /
Question Answers Extra information Mark
Spec. Ref.
02.1 Milky Way 1 AO1
4.8.1.1
02.2 gravitational (force) allow gravity 1 AO1
4.8.1.3
02.3 it decreases 1 AO3
4.8.1.1
02.4 answer between -60 and -160 1 AO3
(degrees Celsius) 4.8.1.1
02.5 Three 1 AO1
4.8.1.1
02.6 It orbits a planet. 1 AO1
4.8.1.3
02.7 Their orbits are circular. 1 AO1
4.8.1.3
They do not emit visible light. 1
02.8 d = 13 000 × 110 1 AO2
4.8.1.1
d = 1 430 000 (km) allow 1.4(3) × 106 1
allow a rounded answer
(eg 1 400 000)
Total 10
How to answer it
Our Solar System Study Guide
What this question tests
This question assesses your knowledge of our solar system (Space Physics topic), including the structure of the Milky Way galaxy, gravitational forces in circular orbits, interpreting data tables of planetary characteristics, planet counting, definitions of natural satellites, and scaling calculations.
The Milky Way Galaxy
✅ Correct Answer
Milky Way
💡 Key Knowledge
- Our solar system is located in the Milky Way, a barred spiral galaxy containing billions of stars.
- Andromeda is our nearest major galactic neighbour, while Pinwheel and Whirlpool are other distant galaxies.
Forces in Planetary Orbits
✅ Correct Answer
Gravitational force (allow 'gravity')
💡 Key Knowledge
- Gravity provides the attractive force between the Sun and the planets that keeps them in orbit.
- This force acts towards the centre of the circular path.
Interpreting Planetary Data (Temperature vs Distance)
✅ Correct Answer
It decreases
🧠 Exam Technique
Look at the table values: as distance goes from 150 (Earth) to 2870 (Uranus) millions of km, the temperature drops from +22°C down to -200°C. Always read trends carefully across rows or columns.
Predicting Missing Data
✅ Correct Answer
Any value between -60°C and -160°C
📐 Working & Logic
Jupiter's distance (778 million km) lies between Mars (228 million km, -48°C) and Saturn (1430 million km, -178°C). The predicted temperature must logically sit between these two temperature boundaries.
❌ Common Errors
Guessing a positive temperature or a number outside the range (e.g. colder than Saturn despite being closer to the Sun).
Counting Planets in the Solar System
✅ Correct Answer
Three
💡 Key Knowledge
- There are 8 planets in total in our solar system (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).
- The table lists 5 planets (Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus). Therefore, there are 8 - 5 = 3 other planets not listed (Mercury, Venus, Neptune).
Definition of a Natural Satellite
✅ Correct Answer
It orbits a planet.
💡 Key Knowledge
A satellite is any object that orbits another object in space. Natural satellites include moons orbiting planets, whereas artificial satellites are human-made objects orbiting Earth or other bodies.
Comparing Planets and Moons
✅ Correct Answers (Tick TWO)
- Their orbits are circular.
- They do not emit visible light.
❌ Common Errors
Ticking "Their mass is about the same" or "similar in diameter" — moons are generally much smaller and less massive than planets. Planets and moons also shine purely by reflecting sunlight, not by emitting their own visible light.
Calculating the Diameter of the Sun
📐 Step-by-Step Calculation
- Identify the formula / relationship: Diameter of Sun = Earth's diameter × 110
- Substitute values: 13 000 km × 110
- Calculate result: 1 430 000 km (or 1.43 × 10⁶ km)
✅ Final Answer
1 430 000 km
(Accept 1.43 × 10⁶ or rounded variations like 1 400 000)
Topics
Physics · P8: Space Physics (physics only)
Question and mark scheme from the AQA GCSE Physics examination, Physics Paper 2 (Foundation), November 2020. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.