The satellite is guided to a circular orbit about the sun at the same distance from the sun as the earth (1.5x10^11 m), but far away from the earth (so only the sun’s gravity is important). the satellite is the stopped using orbital thrusters and allowed to fall to the sun. what is the satellite’s speed when it reaches the surface of the sun? the sun has a mass of 2.0x10^30 kg and a radius of 7.0x10^8 m.

hint: use energy conservation. first consider the potential energy when it is at the earth’s orbit, then equate this to the sum of the potential energy at the surface of the sun and the kinetic energy at the surface of the sun.

a.
4.4x10^5 m/s

b.
6.2x10^5 m/s

c.
it will be going infinitely fast.

d.
3.8x10^11 m/s