Escape velocity and kinetic energy

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of escape velocity and its relation to potential and kinetic energy. It is determined that the statement "when all the potential energy is converted in kinetic energy the object is moving at the escape velocity" is not completely accurate, as the object may still have potential energy before reaching the center of the Earth. The statement "when the change in potential energy and kinetic energy is constant at the same time it is laying still on the ground or in a perfect circular orbit" is also deemed incorrect, as an object in orbit or sitting on the ground has a constant total energy but not necessarily a constant change in energy. The last statement, "if the planet is rotating faster than the escape velocity you are going to get fl
  • #1
nibbel11
36
2
is it right to say, "when all the potential energy is converted in kinetic energy the object is moving at the escapevelocity.
and "when the change in potential energy and kinetic energy is constant at the same time it is laying still on the ground or in a perfect circulair orbit.
and the last one "if the planet is rotating faster than the escape velocity you are going to get flung of the planet"
are these statements right?
 
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  • #2
nibbel11 said:
is it right to say, "when all the potential energy is converted in kinetic energy the object is moving at the escapevelocity.
No. That's impact velocity. It varies with the altitude you drop something from.
and "when the change in potential energy and kinetic energy is constant at the same time it is laying still on the ground or in a perfect circulair orbit.
That's a grammatically cumbersome sentence. But "change...is constant" implies to me a continuous addition of energy. So no, that wouldn't be an orbit or sitting still on the ground. Maybe a rocket could have a continuously increasing energy as it is launched.

An orbit or sitting on the ground has zero change in total mechanical energy, or rather, that the total energy is constant.

Of course, so does an object plunging to Earth...
and the last one "if the planet is rotating faster than the escape velocity you are going to get flung of the planet"
are these statements right?
That one is true.
 
  • #3
nibbel11 said:
is it right to say, "when all the potential energy is converted in kinetic energy the object is moving at the escapevelocity.
No. Russ beat me to it ... I'll just add:
Say I drop a stone from 1m ... just before it hits the ground, it is not moving at escape velocity.
Technically it has not converted all it's potential energy either ... that would happen at the center of the Earth perhaps. In that case, it will have exactly enough kinetic energy to rise to 1m hight ... still not escape velocity.

An object at escape velocity has the same kinetic energy as the potential energy difference between where it is and infinity.
An object falling from infinity, with no initial velocity, converting all potential energy to kinetic, the the impact velocity has the same magnitude and opposite direction to the escape velocity at the impact site.
 
  • #4
Simon Bridge said:
Say I drop a stone from 1m ... just before it hits the ground, it is not moving at escape velocity.
Technically it has not converted all it's potential energy either ... that would happen at the center of the Earth perhaps.
Kinetic and potential energy are reference frame dependent and a spot on the surface of the Earth is often chosen as the origin of the reference frame.
 
  • #5
Even so: the stone still loses potential energy on it's way to the centre - so, on the surface, I can argue it still has potential energy to lose even though the "tank level" reads zero, that's just a number chalked on the side of the tank. I can probably get more wiggle room in there if I really tried but it's 23:16 here and I'm not that committed.

Are escape velocity calculations are usually done by taking a spot on the surface as zero?
 

FAQ: Escape velocity and kinetic energy

What is escape velocity?

Escape velocity is the minimum speed that an object needs to achieve in order to escape the gravitational pull of a planet or other celestial body.

How is escape velocity calculated?

Escape velocity is calculated using the equation: v = √(2GM/R), where v is the escape velocity, G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the planet or celestial body, and R is the distance from the object's center of mass to the object's surface.

What is kinetic energy?

Kinetic energy is the energy that an object possesses due to its motion. It is calculated using the equation: KE = 1/2mv2, where m is the mass of the object and v is the velocity.

How is kinetic energy related to escape velocity?

The kinetic energy of an object is directly related to its velocity. As an object gains speed, its kinetic energy also increases. Therefore, in order for an object to achieve escape velocity, it must have enough kinetic energy to overcome the gravitational pull of the planet or celestial body.

Can an object have a negative kinetic energy?

No, an object's kinetic energy cannot be negative. Kinetic energy is a measure of an object's motion, so it can never be less than zero. However, if an object is moving in the opposite direction of the force acting on it, its kinetic energy may decrease.

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