The solution at revision #19605 of , by JMMA2006. This is not the current version.

Statement

2.6.34. The kinetic energy of a satellite in a circular orbit is equal to K. What is its potential energy?

Solution

For a circular orbit, the gravitational force provides the centripetal force

Cancel m and multiply by r
(1)
The kinetic energy is


And subsituting into equation (1)

we get

The potential energy is
, so

Answer