Classify orbits based on total energy
Etot:
- Etot <
0:
- Kinetic Energy < Potential Energy
- object is bound to the system
- circular, elliptical orbits
- Etot = 0:
- Kinetic Energy = Potential Energy
- just enough kinetic energy to reach infinity
- defines "escape velocity"
- orbit is a parabola
- Etot >
0:
- Kinetic Energy > Potential energy
- object easily escapes system
- orbit is a hyperbola
|
|