Escape speed: A certain spherical asteroid has a mass of 3.5 × 10¹⁶ kg and a radius of 8.8 km. What is the minimum speed needed to escape from the surface of this asteroid? (G = 6.67 × 10^-11 N ∙ m²/kg²) A) 23 m/s B) 16 m/s C) 520 m/s D) 730 m/s

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The escape speed $v$ can be calculated using the formula $v = \sqrt{\frac{2GM}{r}}$, where $G$ is the gravitational constant, $M$ is the mass of the asteroid, and $r$ is the radius of the asteroid. Substituting the given values: $v = \sqrt{\frac{2 \times 6.67 \times 10^{-11} \times 3.5 \times 10^{16}}{8800}} \approx 23$ m/s.

Escape Speed: a Certain Spherical Asteroid Has a Mass of 3.5