Velocity of Escape

from the Earth

An object can be thrown up with a certain
minimum initial velocity so that the object
goes beyond the earth's gravitational field
and escape the earth.

This is known as the

escape velocity from the earth.
 Escape Velocity
The speed that the object needs to be
traveling to break free of a planetary or
moon's gravity well and leave it without
further propulsion.

The minimum velocity an object must have

to escape a celestial body's gravitational field
permanently, or without ever falling back
again.
 V=?

Consider the problem of

determining the velocity of
a particle projected in a
Gravity
radial direction outward
from the earth and acted
upon by only one force, the
gravitational force of the
earth.
Let's come up an equation that describes
the velocity as a function of distance
away from the earth.
First, we have the formula:

𝐹=𝑚 ∙ 𝑎
 
Law of Universal Gravitation
 
𝐺𝑀𝑚
𝐹 𝑔= 2
𝑟
 where = gravitational force
M and m = masses of two objects
r = distance between two objects
 𝐹=𝐹
 

 
1
 
𝐺𝑀𝑚  
1
𝑚 𝑎=
𝑚 𝑟
2
𝑚
 
 

 
 

-g

Initial condition:
R
r = R, radius of the Earth

a = -g, acceleration due to gravity

Initial condition:

r = R, radius of the Earth

a = -g, acceleration due to gravity -g

 
1
− 𝑔=𝑘 ∙ 2 R

𝑅
2
𝑘 =− 𝑔 ∙ 𝑅
 
 

 
 

 
  

  𝑑𝑟
𝑣=
𝑑𝑡
 
  

  1
𝑎=𝑘 ∙ 2
𝑟
 
  

Apply separation of variables method

 

dr dr
 
  
1
𝑣 𝑑𝑣 =𝑘 2 𝑑𝑟
𝑟
1
 

∫ 𝑣 𝑑𝑣=𝑘 ∫ 𝑟 2 𝑑𝑟
 

−2
𝑣
∫ ∫𝑑𝑣=𝑘 𝑟 dr
 2 −1
𝑣 𝑟
 

= ∙ 𝑘 +𝐶
2 −1
2
𝑣 −1
 

= ∙ 𝑘 +𝐶
2 𝑟
2
 
𝑘 =− 𝑔 ∙ 𝑅
2
𝑣 −1
 
2
= ∙ ( − 𝑔 𝑅 ) +𝐶
2 𝑟
 2
1 2 𝑔𝑅
 

𝑣 = +𝐶
2 𝑟
Next is to get rid of the constant of integration.
 Initial conditions:

r = R (the position is equal to the Earth’s radius)

v= (initial velocity of the body when it leaves Earth)

2
1 𝑔𝑅
 
2
(𝑣0 ) = +𝐶
2 𝑅
  
1 2
𝐶 = ( 𝑣 0 ) − 𝑔𝑅
2

Going back to the equation being solved using the

separation of variables method

 
1 2 𝑔𝑅 2   1 2
𝑣 = +𝐶 𝐶 = ( 𝑣 0 ) − 𝑔𝑅
2 𝑟 2

2
 
1 2 𝑔𝑅 1 2
𝑣 = + ( 𝑣 0 ) − 𝑔𝑅
2 𝑟 2
We can determine the minimum initial velocity so that the
body being projected outward the earth will never get
pulled back due to earth's gravity, and means this velocity
will never go down to zero or negative.

2
 
1 2 𝑔𝑅 1 2
𝑣 = + ( 𝑣 0 ) − 𝑔𝑅
2 𝑟 2
r
 
  

 
1
2
[2
(
2
𝑣 0 ) ≥ 𝑔𝑅   2
]
2
( 𝑣 0 ) ≥ 2 𝑔𝑅
 

 
   

or
 

Minimum velocity a body should have in order to get

away from the earth.

The above equation is called the velocity of escape. This is

applicable at any planets and moons in the solar system
including earth.
Acceleration due to gravity of Earth and other
celestial bodies
Celestial Bodies Gravity Radius
(in terms with Earth’s) (at the
equator)
Earth 1 g (9.80665 m/s2) 6378 km
Moon 0.1654g (1.62 m/s2) 1737.1 km
Mercury 0.38g (3.7 m/s2) 2440 km
Venus 0.904g (8.87 m/s2) 6052 km
Mars 0.38g (3.711m/s2) 3396 km
Jupiter 2.528g (24.79m/s2) 71492 km
Saturn 1.065g (10.44m/s2) 60268 km
Uranus 0.886g (8.69m/s2) 25559 km
Neptune 1.14g (11.15m/s2) 24764 km
 Escape velocity from the surface of the Earth

g = 9.80665 m/s2
R = 6378 km
 
=
 
=

 
=
 Escape velocity from the surface of the Earth
 
=

 
𝑣 𝑒 =11184.53m / s
or  
𝑣 𝑒 =11.18 km / s
That means any particle leaving the earth's surface should
have the minimum 11. 18 km/s velocity to escape the
earth's gravitational field.
 Escape velocity from the surface of the Moon

g = 1.62 m/s2
R = 1737.1 km
 
=
 
=

 
=
 Escape velocity from the surface of the Moon
 
=

 
𝑣 𝑒 =2373.86 m / s
or  
𝑣 𝑒 =2.37 km / s
That means any particle leaving the moon's surface should
have the minimum 2.37 km/s velocity to escape the
moon's gravitational field.
 Escape velocity from the surface of the Jupiter

g = 24.79m/s2
R = 71492 km
 
=
 
=

 
=
 Escape velocity from the surface of the Jupiter
 
=

 
𝑣 𝑒 =59537.77 m / s
or  
𝑣 𝑒 =59.538 km / s
That means any particle leaving the Jupiter's surface
should have the minimum 59.538 km/s velocity to escape
the Jupiter's gravitational field.
Fin