Gravitational Potential Energy Practice Problems

A spacecraft is located at a distance from the sun equal to that of Jupiter's orbit and it needs to escape the solar system. Determine the minimum speed for the spacecraft to escape the gravitational pull of the sun.

An oscillator of mass m oscillates according to the equation ψ(y) = Ay exp (−y²/a²) for permissible states where E = 0. Represent the potential energy function on a graph.

In a two-star system, two stars of equal mass are separated by a distance of 1.5 × 10¹² m. An asteroid is approaching the stars. What will be its speed at the point its path will cut the line joining two stars in the ratio 1/3? Consider the mass of the two stars as 3.0 × 10²⁶ kg.