A body of mass $m$ is dropped from a height $\frac{R}{2}$, from the surface of earth where $R$ is radius of…

A body of mass $m$ is dropped from a height $\frac{R}{2}$, from the surface of earth where $R$ is radius of earth. Its speed when it will hit the earth's surface is $\left(v_e=\right.$ escape $v$ elocity from earth' surface)
  1. $\sqrt{2} V_e$
  2. $\frac{V_e}{\sqrt{3}}$
  3. $\frac{V_e}{\sqrt{2}}$
  4. $\sqrt{3} V_e$

Solution

Considering the total energy conservation: $\begin{aligned} & -\frac{G M m}{R+\frac{R}{2}}=-\frac{G M m}{R}+\frac{1}{2} m v^2 \\ & \Rightarrow v=\sqrt{\frac{2 G M}{3 R}}=\frac{v_e}{\sqrt{3}} \end{aligned}$

Asked in: MHT CET 2022 (11 Aug Shift 1)

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