Escape velocity

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/escape-velocity

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is Escape velocity?Escape velocity is independent of the mass of the escaping object
2. What is the earth's surface escape velocity?Approximately 11.2 km/s (25,000 mph)
3. What is the trajectory type for escape velocity?Parabolic trajectory (total energy = 0)
4. Why does escape velocity not depend on the object's mass?The formula shows that the mass of the object cancels out, so the speed needed is the same for a toy car or a big spaceship. The only things that matter are the planet's mass and the distance from its center.
5. How fast is the escape velocity from Earth?At Earth's surface the escape speed is about 11.2 kilometers per second, which is about 25,000 miles per hour. That's much faster than any airplane can go.

Gravitational Potential Well: The region around a massive object where its gravity exerts a significant influence.
Unbound Trajectory: A path an object takes that will not return it to the gravitational source.
Gravity Assist: A maneuver using a celestial body's gravity to alter a spacecraft's velocity and trajectory.