Question

A meteoroid is moving towards a planet. It has mass m = 0.78×109 kg and speed v1 = 4.1×107 m/s at distance R1 = 2.8×107 m from the center of the planet. The radius of the planet is R = 0.26×107 m. The mass of the planet is M = 4.4×1025 kg. There is no air around the planet. Calculate the value of PE1, in joules

Answer 1

`PE=81.755\, J`

Step-by-step explanation:

Given that:

• mass of meteoroid,
  `m=7.8* 10^8 \,kg`

• radial distance from the center of the planet,
  `R= 2.8* 10^7 m`

• mass of the planet,
  `M=4.4* 10^(25)\, kg`

For gravitational potential energy we have:

`PE=G(M.m)/(R)`

substituting the respective values:

`PE=6.67* 10^(-11)* (4.4* 10^(25)* 7.8* 10^8)/(2.8* 10^7)`

`PE=81.755\, J`