Escape Velocity Calculation for Orbiting Satellite

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the speed increase required for a satellite in orbit at an altitude of 3700 km to escape Earth's gravitational pull. The subject area includes concepts of escape velocity and gravitational potential energy.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the definition of Earth's escape velocity and the satellite's orbital velocity at the specified altitude. There are attempts to relate gravitational potential energy to kinetic energy and questions about the necessary calculations to find the speed increase.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided relevant information, such as the escape velocity and the gravitational potential energy concepts. There is an ongoing exploration of how to calculate the satellite's current velocity and how to determine the difference needed to reach escape velocity.

Contextual Notes

Participants are discussing the calculations without providing complete methods, and there are indications of formatting issues with mathematical expressions. The original poster expresses uncertainty about the calculations involved.

MiniTank
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I am having some difficulty with this question:
A satellite is in orbit around Earth at an altitude of 3700 km. How much must its speed increase, in km/h, to escape the Earth's force of gravity?

I'm stumped. Please help
 
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Whats Earth's escape velocity?
What velocity is it orbitting at if its at that altitude?
 
Earth's escape velocity = 1.12 x 10^4 m/s
and the velocity at that altitude is what I am having tourble with
 
Find the gravitational potential energy at that altitude. What doy ou know about the satelite's KE if it remains at that point?
 
i think i get what your saying ..

Ek = 1/2 |Eg|
[tex]\frac{1}{2}mv^2 = \frac{1}{2}\frac{GMm}{r}[/tex]
[tex]v=\sqrt{\frac{GM}{r}}[/tex]

after i find that .. do i subtract that velocity from the escape velocity of earth?
 
Last edited:
Fix your tex tags, slash them the other way, /tex
 
You've got all youj need to solve the problem.
 
alright thanks ... appreciate it
 

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