A satellite in a circular orbit around earth with a radius 1.019 times the mean radius of the earth is hit by an incoming meteorite. A large fragment m=60 kg is ejected in the backwards direction so that it is stationary with respect to the earth and falls directly to the ground. Its speed just before it hits the ground is 373 m/s.

Question

A satellite in a circular orbit around earth with a radius 1.019 times the mean radius of the earth is hit by an incoming meteorite. A large fragment m=60 kg is ejected in the backwards direction so that it is stationary with respect to the earth and falls directly to the ground. Its speed just before it hits the ground is 373 m/s. 
A. Find the total work done by gravity on the satellite fragment.

B. Find the amount of that work converted to heat

Thanks for the help on the water flow problem. I thought that we had to use the given velocity so no problems there. This problem is really giving me trouble I assume that I'm supposed to use PE=-G(Me)(m)/R to start but not sure

physics Bob Pursley plz help - bobpursley, Monday, November 30, 2009 at 5:05pm 
Find the total PE available

PE=GMm/Re (1/2.019 -1/1)

Now, that has to be the work done 
heat+finalKE=work done

ok so I posted this a couple days ago and I'm still having trouble.  This is what I am doing

PE=(GMm/1.019Re)+(GMm/Re)

please help I'll be all done with physics for the semester if I can just finish this one problem!

bobpursley · Answer

changeofPE=(GMm/1.019Re)+(GMm/Re) is correct. Now subtract the final KE from that, and then the remainder must be the heat given off.