Escape Velocity Quiz

Object Thrown Vertically Upwards

• An object thrown vertically up experiences an initial increase in speed, continuing to ascend until gravitational pull decelerates its motion until it reaches a peak height.
• As height increases, gravitational acceleration (approximately 9.81 m/s² near Earth's surface) reduces the object's speed.
• Eventually, the object will stop momentarily at its peak height before descending back to Earth due to gravity.

Escape Velocity

• Escape velocity is the minimum speed (approximately 11.2 km/s for Earth) needed for an object to break free from Earth's gravitational influence without further propulsion.
• This velocity varies based on the celestial body’s mass and radius.

Infinite Distance and Escape

• An object needs to reach an infinite distance to completely escape Earth’s gravitational field because gravitational force diminishes with distance but does not become zero until infinitely far away.
• At infinite distance, the gravitational potential energy becomes negligible, allowing for true escape.

Energies Involved During Vertical Launch

• When an object is launched with escape velocity (ve), its kinetic energy converts entirely into gravitational potential energy as it rises.
• At the point of reaching escape distance, the kinetic energy approaches zero while potential energy reaches a maximum.

Initial Velocity and Height Relationship

• The height reached by an object thrown vertically upward is directly related to its initial velocity; a greater initial velocity results in a higher ascent.
• The formula ( h = \frac{v_i^2}{2g} ) describes the relationship, where ( h ) is height, ( v_i ) is initial velocity, and ( g ) is acceleration due to gravity.