Math Problem Statement
What is the escape velocity in km/s from Venus' exosphere, which begins about 211 km above the surface? Assume the gravitational constant is G = 6.67e-11 m3 kg-1 s-2, and that Venus has a mass of 4.2e24 kg and a radius of 6,158 km.
Solution
The formula for escape velocity from a celestial body is:
where:
- is the gravitational constant (),
- is the mass of the celestial body (for Venus, ),
- is the distance from the center of the body to the point of interest (the exosphere starts at 211 km above Venus' surface).
Step 1: Calculate the total distance
Venus' radius is , and the exosphere begins above the surface. Therefore, the total distance from the center of Venus to the exosphere is:
Convert this distance to meters:
Step 2: Plug the values into the escape velocity formula
Now we can substitute the values into the escape velocity formula:
Step 3: Simplify the expression
First, calculate the numerator:
Now divide by :
Finally, take the square root:
Step 4: Convert to km/s
Thus, the escape velocity from Venus' exosphere is approximately 9.38 km/s.
Would you like more details or have any questions about this calculation?
Here are 5 related questions:
- How does escape velocity depend on the mass of a planet?
- What is the escape velocity from Earth's surface?
- How does the altitude from the planet's surface affect escape velocity?
- What is the significance of escape velocity in space exploration?
- How would the escape velocity change if Venus had the same mass but a smaller radius?
Tip: Escape velocity is independent of the object's mass trying to escape, as it only depends on the planet's mass and radius.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Physics
Gravitational Mechanics
Escape Velocity
Formulas
Escape velocity formula: v_e = sqrt(2GM/r)
Theorems
Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
Suitable Grade Level
Grades 11-12 (Advanced Physics)
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