If a satellite sent to Mars is designed to return a rock sample to Earth, how fast must the satellite be launched from its surface in order to escape Mars's gravity? For reference, Mars has a mass of 6 * 10²³ kg and a radius of 3,400 km. A) 100 m/s B) 5,000 m/s C) 20 m/s D) 20,000 m/s E) You must know the mass of the satellite to determine the answer.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The escape velocity from a celestial body depends only on the mass and radius of the body, not on the mass of the object trying to escape. For Mars, the escape velocity is approximately 5,000 m/s.

If a Satellite Sent to Mars Is Designed to Return