A 50-kg satellite circles the Earth in an orbit with a period of 120 min. What minimum energy is required to change the orbit to another circular orbit with a period of 180 min? (Earth: radius = 6.4 × 106 m, mass = 6.0 × 1024 kg)
A)2.9 × 108 J
B)3.5 × 108 J
C)4.1 × 108 J
D)4.7 × 108 J
E)5.9 × 108 J

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The energy required to change the orbit can be calculated using the formula for gravitational potential energy and the vis-viva equation. The energy difference between the two orbits is found by calculating the total energy for each orbit and subtracting them. The correct calculation gives approximately 2.9 × 10^8 J.

A 50-Kg Satellite Circles the Earth in an Orbit with a Period