Planetary Mass | MCQs

Explanation

Escape velocity (vₑ) is given by:

vₑ = √(2GM/r)

where:

G = gravitational constant

M = mass of the planet

r = radius of the planet

Given:

M₂ = 1000M₁ (mass of the new planet is 1000 times that of Earth)

r₂ = 10r₁ (radius of the new planet is 10 times that of Earth)

Escape velocity on the new planet (vₑ₂) is:

vₑ₂ = √(2GM₂/r₂)

= √(2G(1000M₁)/(10r₁))

= √(200G(M₁/r₁))

= √200 × √(2GM₁/r₁)

= √200 × vₑ₁

Given vₑ₁ = 11.2 km/s:

vₑ₂ ≈ √200 × 11.2 km/s

≈ 112 km/s