How to Calculate Escape Velocity
What is Escape Velocity?
Escape velocity is the minimum speed needed for an object to break free from a celestial body's gravitational pull without further propulsion. For Earth: v_e = √(2GM/R) ≈ 11.2 km/s (40,300 km/h).
Step-by-Step Guide
- 1Escape velocity: v_e = √(2 × G × M / R)
- 2G = 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg² (gravitational constant)
- 3M = mass of body · R = radius of body (or distance from centre)
Worked Examples
Input
Earth: M=5.97×10²⁴ kg · R=6.37×10⁶ m
Result
11.2 km/s escape velocity
About 40,000 km/h
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