Plan the investigation
What students will do
Use the student handout to organize predictions, measurements, and explanations.
- Watch one orbit. Measure distance and speed at the closest and farthest points. Sketch tangent velocity and inward gravity arrows.
- Track the energy. Calculate kinetic, gravitational potential, and total energy at both measured positions.
- Change launch speed. Keep starting radius fixed and predict the total energy and path type for the handout’s launch speeds.
- Test the escape threshold. Calculate escape speed and test launches just below and above it. Use energy as evidence when classifying the paths.
What students will learn
- Explain speed changes using gravitational force and energy.
- Interpret negative gravitational potential and total energy.
- Distinguish changing energy during one orbit from different launch energies.
Common misconception
Does a short outward path prove that a satellite will escape?
Use the total energy and its reference convention to evaluate escape rather than judging a short path segment.