Question

A satellite is staged on a rocket and has a height of 110m and a mass of 1,200 kg. What is the GPE (gravitational potential energy) of the satellite before it is launched? ( g=9.8m/s^2)

A) 1.3 x10 ^6 J

B) 6x10^4 J

C) 1.35 x 10^4 J

D) 8.9 x 10^ (-1) J

Answer 1

Therefore, the GPE of the satellite before it is launched is approximately 1.3 x 10^6 J (option A).

Step-by-step explanation:

The gravitational potential energy (GPE) of an object is given by the formula:

GPE = mgh

Where:

m = mass of the object

g = acceleration due to gravity

h = height of the object

In this case, the mass of the satellite is 1,200 kg, the height is 110 m, and the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s^2. Therefore, we can calculate the GPE of the satellite before it is launched as follows:

GPE = mgh

= (1,200 kg) x (9.8 m/s^2) x (110 m)

= 1,352,800 J

Therefore, the GPE of the satellite before it is launched is approximately 1.3 x 10^6 J (option A).