What is the change in energy required for the Earth to escape the Sun's orbit?

AI Thread Summary
To determine the energy required for Earth to escape the Sun's orbit, one must calculate the change in energy between its initial and final states. The total energy in orbit is derived from gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy. The final energy when Earth escapes is considered to be zero, as it moves infinitely far from the Sun. The discussion highlights confusion around calculating the final energy and the implications of gravitational forces at large distances. Ultimately, the key is to find the change in energy using the initial energy and the final energy of zero.
OshKosh
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Homework Statement



Determine the energy and change in orbital speed required for the Earth to escape from its orbit around the Sun.

Homework Equations



I guess:
Change In E = E total of o - E total of s (Egs)
E total of orbit = (0.5)Eg of oribit

The Attempt at a Solution



Don't really know how to begin with this one considering it's not something like a satellite leaving Earth's orbit but rather it's the Earth leaving the sun's orbit.
 
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energy required will be Final E - total E ... what you think will be final energy
 
Yeah but I don't get how to calculate final energy if the Earth is leaving the sun's orbit.
 
What will be the distance b/w Earth and sun when Earth has escaped?
 
I guess greater than 150 000 000 km, but how would I use that?
 
escaping means that you are out of reach of gravitational forces of sun.

GMm/r^2 is 0 for what value of r ?
 
So I would put the distance between the Earth and sun's orbit for r? Then just sub in the rest of the values?
 
No ...
my question is simple ... 1/r is 0 for what value of r ??
 
Maybe it's so simple that it's under my nose but isn't that not possible for it to be 0? Can't it only approach 0?
 
  • #10
that very large value is called to be infinity for which 1/r is 0

not what will be the potential energy of Earth at r=infinity?
 
  • #11
Wouldn't it be just close to 0? (In a negative number)

I also have a test on this tomorrow so if you're going to take a really long time to explain this might as well tell me now.
 
  • #12
only when you are talking about real numbers ...

lets leave this debate for now and concentrate on the question
 
  • #13
Well you're the one who brought it up...

After a half of hour of explaining something that doesn't seem to be that useful for the actual problem, I still don't get how to do the problem. Surprise?
 
  • #14
Yes, surprised!

you have E(initial) and E(final) is 0
can you find change in E?
 
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