Gravitational Potential Energy and Escape Velocity
Students will calculate the work done in moving masses within a field and define escape velocity.
Key Questions
- Explain how the concept of a potential well explains the energy required to launch a spacecraft.
- Analyze the variables that affect the escape velocity of a planet with a different mass and radius than Earth.
- Justify how the conservation of energy applies to an elliptical orbit where speed is constantly changing.
National Curriculum Attainment Targets
Suggested Methodologies
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