Energy in Orbits – Practice

Questions:

1) A surveillance satellite orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 420km has a mass of 900kg. The radius of the Earth, rE = 6.4 × 106 m and the mass of the Earth, mE = 6.0 × 1024 kg. Calculate:

a) The total mechanical energy of the satellite:

b) The speed of the satellite:

 

2) A space shuttle was orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 500km. A satellite was sent from the shuttle to a final orbit at an altitude of 7500km. Calculate the change in gravitational potential energy if the satellite has a mass of 200kg. Mass of the Earth, mE = 6.0 × 1024 kg.

 

3) A meteorite fell toward and struck the Earth from an altitude of 30,000km. Calculate the change in gravitational potential energy if the meteorite had a mass of 10kg. The radius of the Earth, rE = 6.4 × 106 m and the mass of the Earth, mE = 6.0 × 1024 kg.

Quick Answers:

1a) −2.64 × 1010 J    b) 7660 m/s (27577 km/hr)

2) 5.8× 109 J

3) −5.15 × 108 J

 

Worked Answers: