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Physics

A spacecraft of 610 kg enters the atmosphere at a speed of 5.5 km/s. Calculate the kinetic energy of the spacecraft as it enters the atmosphere. Give your answer to an appropriate number of sig fig. Please can I get some help?
I have actually calculated it and it gave me an astronomical number, I just wanted to check if the answer is correct, as this answer is used in other parts of the question. I know rockets are supposed to have high kinetic energy, but based on the fact that in another part of the question it says that the spaceship loses 2.2 x 10^5 J in kinetic energy, I can assume my answer is too big to be correct

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 1

Maykulka

kinetic energy= 0.5* mass * velocity (squared)

Velocity is measure id m/s so 5.5k/s goes to 5500m/s

Ek = 0.5 * 610 * 5500 (squared)

Ek= 9226250000

So appropriate sgf= 9230000000

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That's my understanding of it but it seems very big so maybe I'm wrong O.o