3.3 General Gravitational Potential Energy

Which equation represents general gravitational potential energy?

• E_g = GMm/r²

• E_g = -GMm/r²_

• E_g = GMm/r_

• E_g = -GMm/r_

Why is it convenient to consider general gravitational potential energy negative?

• Gravity acts downward.

• Whenever we try to break free of a gravitational field, the amount of work we need to do is positive, which is opposite the direction of gravity.

• Energy is lost

When we supply a rocket with kinetic energy that is less than the binding energy,

• the rocket will go far from Earth, but eventually get pulled back in by its gravitational pull.

• the rocket will go far from Earth and remain at a constant distance to Earth

• the rocket will go far from Earth and continue travelling further from Earth over time

• the rocket travels to another dimension

When we supply a rocket with kinetic energy that is greater than the binding energy,

• the rocket will go far from Earth, but then get pulled back by gravity

• the rocket will go far from Earth, but then remain at a constant distance from Earth

• the rocket will go far from Earth and continue getting further away as time goes on

• the rocket travels to another dimension

When we supply a rocket with kinetic energy that is equal to the binding energy,

• the rocket will go far from Earth, but then get pulled back by its gravitational pull

• the rocket will go far from Earth and remain at a constant distance from Earth

• the rocket will go far from Earth and continue getting further from Earth as time goes on

• the rocket travels to another dimension

As the distance between an object and Earth increases,

• the gravitational constant G increases

• the gravitational constant G decreases

• the gravitational potential energy relative to Earth approaches infinity

• the gravitational potential energy relative to Earth approaches zero

Select all that apply. What are some applications of binding energy?

• Launching a satellite into Earth's orbit

• Escaping the clutches of your enemies

• Sending spaceships and probes to different locations in space

• Keeping your friends close, but your enemies closer

If we wanted to launch a 62 kg object from the surface of Earth to 4.3 * 10⁷ m away from Earth, at around which speed would we have to launch it?

• 190 m/s

• 22,000 m/s

• 10,000 m/s

• 45,000 m/s