Question

m_earth = 5.9742 x 10²⁴ kg
r_earth = 6.3781 x 10⁶ m
m_moon = 7.36 x 10²² kg
r_moon = 1.7374 x 10⁶ m
d_{earth to moon} = 3.844 x 10⁸ m (center to center)
G = 6.67428 x 10^-11 N-m²/kg²

A 1200 kg satellite is orbitting the earth in a circular orbit with an altitude of 1600 km.

1)

How much energy does it take just to get it to this altitude?

2)

How much kinetic energy does it have once it has reached this altitude?

3)

What is the ratio of the this change in potential energy to the change in kinetic energy? (i.e. what is (a)/(b)?)

4)

What would this ratio be if the final altitude of the satellite were 4700 km?

5)

What would this ratio be if the final altitude of the satellite were 3185 km?

Answer 1