Question

Two Earth satellites, A and B, each of mass m, are to be launched into circular orbits about Earth's center. Satellite A is to orbit at an altitude of 5970 km. Satellite B is to orbit at an altitude of 21200 km. The radius of Earth REis 6370 km. (a) What is the ratio of the potential energy of satellite B to that of satellite A, in orbit? (b) What is the ratio of the kinetic energy of satellite B to that of satellite A, in orbit? (c) Which satellite (answer A or B) has the greater total energy if each has a mass of 28.8 kg? (d) By how much?

Answer 1

(a) 0.448

The gravitational potential energy of a satellite in orbit is given by:

$U=-\frac{GMm}{r}$

where

G is the gravitational constant

M is the Earth's mass

m is the satellite's mass

r is the distance of the satellite from the Earth's centre, which is sum of the Earth's radius (R) and the altitude of the satellite (h):

r = R + h

We can therefore write the ratio between the potentially energy of satellite B to that of satellite A as

$\frac{U_B}{U_A}=\frac{-\frac{GMm}{R+h_B}}{-\frac{GMm}{R+h_A}}=\frac{R+h_A}{R+h_B}$

and so, substituting:

$R=6370 km\\h_A = 5970 km\\h_B = 21200 km$

We find

$\frac{U_B}{U_A}=\frac{6370 km+5970 km}{6370 km+21200 km}=0.448$

(b) 0.448

The kinetic energy of a satellite in orbit around the Earth is given by

$K=\frac{1}{2}\frac{GMm}{r}$

So, the ratio between the two kinetic energies is

$\frac{K_B}{K_A}=\frac{\frac{1}{2}\frac{GMm}{R+h_B}}{\frac{1}{2}\frac{GMm}{R+h_A}}=\frac{R+h_A}{R+h_B}$

Which is exactly identical to the ratio of the potential energies. Therefore, this ratio is also equal to 0.448.

(c) B

The total energy of a satellite is given by the sum of the potential energy and the kinetic energy:

$E=U+K=-\frac{GMm}{R+h}+\frac{1}{2}\frac{GMm}{R+h}=-\frac{1}{2}\frac{GMm}{R+h}$

For satellite A, we have

$E_A=-\frac{1}{2}\frac{GMm}{R+h_A}=-\frac{1}{2}\frac{(6.67\cdot 10^{-11})(5.98\cdot 10^{24}kg)(28.8 kg)}{6.37\cdot 10^6 m+5.97\cdot 10^6 m}=-4.65\cdot 10^8 J$

For satellite B, we have

$E_B=-\frac{1}{2}\frac{GMm}{R+h_B}=-\frac{1}{2}\frac{(6.67\cdot 10^{-11})(5.98\cdot 10^{24}kg)(28.8 kg)}{6.37\cdot 10^6 m+21.2\cdot 10^6 m}=-2.08\cdot 10^8 J$

So, satellite B has the greater total energy (since the energy is negative).

(d) $-2.57\cdot 10^8 J$

The difference between the energy of the two satellites is:

$E_B-E_A=-2.08\cdot 10^8 J-(-4.65\cdot 10^8 J)=-2.57\cdot 10^8 J$