To calculate the velocity required for a ball to achieve orbit near Earth's surface, one must consider the curvature of the Earth, which drops 32 feet for every 30,000 feet horizontally. The necessary orbital velocity is approximately 21,289 feet per second, as provided by the instructor, though the derivation of this figure is unclear to the participants. The discussion also raises a related question about the time it takes for an object with zero initial vertical velocity to fall 32 feet, indicating a need for further exploration of gravitational equations. Participants express confusion over the calculations involved in determining both the orbital velocity and the time of fall. Understanding these concepts is essential for grasping the physics of near-surface orbits.
