IB HL Physics Escape Speed

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A tutorial sheet of questions on escape speed, from HL Topic 10, is given below.

  1. Define gravitational potential.
  2. Define gravitational potential energy.
  3. Why is gravitational potential energy given a negative sign?
  4. Does the escape speed from the surface of a planet depend on the angle at which the mass is projected?
  5. Find the maximum mass of a planet that you can jump off. Make realistic assumptions. Assume that the planet does not recoil.
  6. A person of mass m can jump at a speed u relative to the surface of a planet of mass M and radius R. Find the maximum mass of this planet if the person is to escape its gravitational field.