As you have learnt inthe text, a geostationary satellite orbits the earth at a height ofnearly 36,000 km from the surface of the earth. What is the potentialdue to earth’s gravity at the site of this satellite? (Take thepotential energy at infinity to be zero). Mass of the earth = 6.0× 1024kg, radius = 6400 km.
Mass of the Earth, M= 6.0 × 1024 kg
Radius of the Earth, R= 6400 km = 6.4 × 106 m
Height of ageostationary satellite from the surface of the Earth,
h = 36000 km =3.6 × 107 m
Gravitational potentialenergy due to Earth’s gravity at height h,