If a satellite sent to Mars is designed to return a rock sample to Earth,how fast must the satellite be launched from its surface in order to escape Mars's gravity? For reference,Mars has a mass of 6 × 10²³ kg and a radius of 3,400 km. A)100 m/s B)5,000 m/s C)20 m/s D)20,000 m/s E)You must know the mass of the satellite to determine the answer.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The escape velocity from a planet's surface depends only on the planet's mass and radius, not on the mass of the satellite. The escape velocity from Mars is approximately 5,000 m/s.

If a Satellite Sent to Mars Is Designed to Return