Question

For a satellite moving in an orbit around the earth the ratio of kinetic energy to potential energy is what

Answer 1

ANSWER:----------

{Consider a mass m circling the Earth (of mass M) at radius R.}

{ The centripetal force is:F_c = -mv^2/RThe gravitational pull of the Earth on the mass is:}

{F_grav= - GMm/R^2Therefore:- GMm/R^2 = F_grav = F_c = - mv^2}/

{R- GMm/R^2 = - mv^2/RSo the kinetic energy of m is:mv^2/2 = (R/2)*(GMm/R^2) = (GMm}/

{R)/2Since the potential energy U = -GMm/R, in this special case:KE = mv^2/2 =}

{ (GMm/R)/2 = - U/2The Virial Theorem shows that this relationship is generally true, not just for circular orbits. }

hope it helps:--

T!—!ANKS!!!