Gravitational Potential Energy: Practice Problem & Solution

Solution Explained:

To solve this problem, we apply the core principles of Gravitational Potential Energy. Understanding the underlying formula is key to arriving at the correct answer below:

Escape velocity is given by \(v_e = \sqrt{\frac{2GM}{R+h}}\). It depends on the mass of the earth \(M\) and the height of projection \(h\), but is independent of the mass of the projected object.