A body can escape the gravitational pull of the earth if it is thrown up with a velocity of? (CSS 2010 General Science & Ability Paper)

• Escape speed is the minimum velocity an object must reach to break free from the gravitational influence of a celestial body, such as a planet or a moon. It’s the speed required to escape to infinity, which means the object will never return unless influenced by another gravitational force.
• The escape speed formula is a straightforward equation that calculates the escape velocity required for an object to leave a celestial body. The formula is as follows: Escape Speed (v) = √(2 * G * M / R) Where:
  • v is the escape speed.
  • G is the gravitational constant.
  • M is the mass of the celestial body (e.g., Earth).
  • R is the radius of the celestial body (e.g., Earth’s radius).
• Now, let’s break down the components of this formula:
  1. Gravitational Constant (G): The gravitational constant is a fundamental constant in physics, denoted by ‘G.’ It has a constant value of approximately 6.674 × 10^(-11) m³ kg^(-1) s^(-2). This constant represents the strength of the gravitational force between two objects.
  2. Mass of the Celestial Body (M): This refers to the mass of the celestial body from which an object is trying to escape. For Earth, this would be the mass of our planet.
  3. Radius of the Celestial Body (R): The radius of the celestial body is the distance from its center to its surface. For Earth, this is the radius of the Earth.

  By plugging in the values of ‘G,’ ‘M,’ and ‘R’ for a specific celestial body into the escape speed formula, you can calculate the exact velocity required for an object to escape from that body’s gravitational pull.

• Earth’s escape velocity is 11.2 km (6.96 miles) per second, if air resistance was ignored at the Earth’s surface. So, if a free body travels at this speed, it can break away from Earth’s gravity into outer space.
  • Atmospheric composition is related to escape velocity. For example, Earth loses gases like hydrogen and helium because it isn’t large enough to hold onto them. But Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus hold on tight to these gases because they are much bigger in size. In fact, their atmospheres are mostly these gases.
  • Earth’s escape velocity is the speed that an object needs to be traveling in order to break free from Earth’s gravitational pull. If an object has a lower escape velocity, then the object will not be able to break free from Earth’s gravitational pull.

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