Additional Energy
If the central body has radius R, then the additional energy of an elliptic orbit compared to being stationary at the surface is
- For the Earth and a just little more than this is ; the quantity is the height the ellipse extends above the surface, plus the periapsis distance (the distance the ellipse extends beyond the center of the Earth); the latter times g is the kinetic energy of the horizontal component of the velocity.
Read more about this topic: Specific Orbital Energy
Famous quotes containing the words additional and/or energy:
“Dog. A kind of additional or subsidiary Deity designed to catch the overflow and surplus of the world’s worship.”
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914)
“Just as we are learning to value and conserve the air we breathe, the water we drink, the energy we use, we must learn to value and conserve our capacity for nurture. Otherwise, in the name of human potential we will slowly but surely erode the source of our humanity.”
—Elaine Heffner (20th century)
Related Phrases
Related Words