A satellite is to be moved away from Earth

PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Gravitation · Gravitation

Problem

A 1000 kg1000\,\text{kg} satellite is to be moved away from Earth. Take RE=6.4×106 mR_E = 6.4\times10^{6}\,\text{m}, ME=6.0×1024 kgM_E = 6.0\times10^{24}\,\text{kg} and G=6.67×10−11 N m2kg−2G = 6.67\times10^{-11}\,\text{N m}^2\text{kg}^{-2}. (i) Calculate the work required to move it directly from the Earth’s surface to a distance 3RE3R_E from the centre of Earth. (ii) The satellite is instead shifted in two stages: first from the surface to 2RE2R_E, and then from 2RE2R_E to 3RE3R_E. Find the total work done in this two–step process. (iii) State, with one sentence, whether the total work depends on the path chosen and justify your answer briefly.

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