Consider two satellites, with masses M1 = 18.2 kg and M2 = 15.5 kg, moving in the same circular orbit of radius 6300 km around a planet MP = 4.4 × 1022kg.
a) They have opposite senses of rotation, and are therfore on a
collision course. Find the total mechanical energy E1 +
E2 of the two-satellites-plus-planet system before the
collision.
b) If the collision is completely inelastic so that wreckage
remains as one piece of tangled material (mass = M1 +
M2), find the total mechanical energy immediately after
collision.
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