Question

If you want to increase the binding energy of a satellite, which of the following should be decreased?

Options

• The mass of Earth (M)

• The mass of the satellite (m)

• The radius of the orbit (r)

• The gravitational constant (G)

Answer 1

The radius of the orbit (r)

Explanation:

Binding Energy = +½ GMm/r. Since binding energy is inversely proportional to r, decreasing r (bringing the satellite closer to Earth) increases the binding energy.