For a missile launched with a velocity less than the earth’s

Home » General Knowledge » Science and Technology » Question

For a missile launched with a velocity less than the earth’s escape velocity, the total energy is

1. either positive of negative
2. Negative
3. Zero
4. Positive

Correct Option: B

When the missile is launched with a velocity less than the escape velocity, it will be influenced by our gravitation. So it will constitute a bound system for which the total energy (sum of its kinetic energy and potential energy) will be negative.