- #1
Bashyboy
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Homework Statement
A 1 034-kg satellite orbits the Earth at a constant altitude of 102-km.
(a) How much energy must be added to the system to move the satellite into a circular orbit with altitude 191 km?
(b) What is the change in the system's kinetic energy?
(c) What is the change in the system's potential energy?
Homework Equations
For (a): [itex]\Delta E = \frac{GM_Em}{2}(\frac{1}{r_i}-\frac{1}{r_f}[/itex]
The Attempt at a Solution
I have futilely attempted problem many vexing times; I am beginning to regard this as the bane of my existence.
For (a): [itex]r_i = R_E + 102000[/itex] and [itex]r_f = R_E + 191000[/itex], right?
[itex]\Delta E = \frac{GM_E \cdot 1034}{2}(\large \frac{1}{R_E + 102000}-\frac{1}{R_E + 191000}) = 890~MJ[/itex]
For (b) Supposedly there is some relation between gravitational energy and kinetic. I was just going to find the tangential velocity with respect to each orbit, and use those to find the change in kinetic energy. Although, seeing as this direct relationship will provide desired accuracy, what exactly is this relationship?