What is the escape velocity of a body on the surface of the earth of radius R if the gravitational constant is G and the mass of the earth is M? (Neglect en...
Question 1 Report
What is the escape velocity of a body on the surface of the earth of radius R if the gravitational constant is G and the mass of the earth is M? (Neglect energy losses to the surroundings)
Answer Details
The escape velocity is the minimum velocity that a body must have in order to escape from the gravitational field of a planet, moon or other celestial body without being pulled back by its gravity.
To calculate the escape velocity of a body on the surface of the earth, we can use the formula:
v = sqrt(2GM/R)
Where G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the earth and R is the radius of the earth.
Plugging in the values, we get:
v = sqrt(2 x 6.67 x 10^-11 x 5.97 x 10^24 / 6.37 x 10^6)
v = sqrt(2 x 39.8 x 10^13)
v = sqrt(79.6 x 10^13)
v = 8.91 x 10^3 m/s
Therefore, the escape velocity of a body on the surface of the earth is 8.91 x 10^3 m/s.
So, the correct option is: 2GM/R.
Download The App On Google Playstore
Everything you need to excel in your exams
Personalized AI Learning Chat Assistant
200,000+ Exam Questions Across IGCSE, JAMB, WAEC & NECO
Over 3,900 Lesson Notes
Offline Support - Learn Anytime, Anywhere
Green Bridge Timetable
Literature Summaries & Potential Questions
Track Your Performance & Progress
In-depth Explanations for Comprehensive Learning