A 620 kg satellite orbits the earth where the acceleration due to gravity is 0.233 m/s^2. What is the kinetic energy of this orbiting satellite?

Question

bobpursley · Answer

centripetal force=mv^2/r
620kg*.233N/kg=mv^2/r
620*.233 N= 1/r * 2KE

so the question is what is r...
Let FS stand for gravitational Field Strenght, we know that as .233N/kg

FS=GMe/(re+r)^2
FS=9.8 * (re/(re+r))^2
sqrt(.233/9.8)=(re/(re+r))
now you can solve for r

KE= r/2 * 620*.233 Joules