Question

A satellite of mass 100 kg performs uniform circular motion around the earth at a height of 6400 km from the earth’s surface. Find its gravitational potential energy. 

[g = 9.8 m/s² , R = 6400 km]

Answer 1

Data: m = 100 kg, g = 9.8 m/s²,

R = 6400 km = 6.4 × 10⁶ m, h = 6.4 × 10⁶ m

The gravitational potential energy of the satellite

= -3.136 x 10⁹ J.