Question

1. The 20-metric-tonne Millennium Falcon is orbiting an unknown planet at 11 km/s. After taking some measurements, the crew begins transmitting them to you, but the signal cuts out after you receive the information on their orbital speed, that the radius of the planet is 4.13x104 km, and that its mass is 8.45x1026 kg. At first you are disappointed as you were hoping to learn how high above the planet they are orbiting, but then you realize you can calculate that distance from the data you did receive. How high above the planet is the Millennium Falcon orbiting? (One metric tonne = 1000 kg.)

Answer: 4.24x105 km

Answer 1