Recent content by ibis

  1. I

    Where does the energy for gravity come from?

    Not quite - the point is perhaps semantic, but while the reverse slingshot reduces the spacecraft 's kinetic energy, the spacecraft does not "expend energy" to decrease its velocity. Going back to the original question: and your answer: If we take a reduction of the spacecraft 's speed...
  2. I

    Where does the energy for gravity come from?

    Strictly speaking, a reverse slingshot only doesn't use the spacecraft 's energy - the work is done by the planet.
  3. I

    Where does the energy for gravity come from?

    A handy way of visualising this is to view gravity as like a spring or elastic band. The potential energy stored in the gravity 'band' between two objects is a result of separating the two objects. You can put this energy in yourself - putting a satellite in orbit using a load of chemical energy...
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