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F = ma (First 10)
Gravitation
FMA-2020A-06 · 2020A F = ma (AAPT)

2020 F = ma Exam A — Question 6

A planet is orbiting a star in a circular orbit of radius r0 . Over a very long period of time, much greater than the period of the orbit, the star slowly and steadily loses 1% of its mass. Throughout the process, the planet’s orbit remains approximately circular. The final orbit radius is closest to
Source: Question 6, 2020 F = ma Exam A, © 2020 American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the U.S. Physics Team. Adapted by PhysicsTrainer: reformatted into a separate question and answer choices for online multiple-choice practice; any shared setup from nearby questions is repeated here. Not affiliated with or endorsed by AAPT or the U.S. Physics Team.