DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION: VELOCITY OF ESCAPE FROM THE EARTH

Imagine a rocket leaving the surface of the earth. What

would be its minimum velocity so that it would not be
pulled back to the earth by the constant gravitational
force?

This is the concept of the velocity of escape from the

Earth. Velocity of escape is the minimum velocity
needed by an object to break free from the
gravitational field of the earth.

We know the fact that the acceleration (a) is the

change of velocity (v) with respect to time (t). Hence,
𝑑𝑣
we can write this as; 𝑎 = .
𝑑𝑡

According to the Newtonian Law of Gravity, the acceleration of the particle is inversely
proportional to the square of the distance from the particle to the center of the earth,
𝑘
hence, it can be written as, 𝑎 = 𝑟 2, where r is the distance of the particle from the center
of the earth. As the object, fly away from the earth, its velocity decreases, thus,
𝑘
𝑎 = − 𝑟2 equation 1

When 𝑟 = 𝑅, then, 𝑎 = −𝑔 where R is the radius of the earth and g is the acceleration
due to gravity. This means that if an object is at rest or in the surface of the earth, its
distance to the center of the earth is just equal to the radius of the earth. Similarly, the
only force acting upon it was the acceleration due to gravity. It is also known that the
acceleration due to gravity is always negative. Thus, by substituting 𝑅 to 𝑟 and – 𝑔 to 𝑎,
we have;

𝑘
−𝑔 = −
𝑅2
−𝑔𝑅 2 = −𝑘 Multiplication Property of Equality

𝑔𝑅 2 = 𝑘 Multiplying both sides by -1

𝑘 = 𝑔𝑅 2 Symmetric Property
𝑘 𝑔𝑅 2
From equation 1, 𝑎 = − 𝑟 2, we substitute 𝑘 = 𝑔𝑅 2 which yields 𝑎 = − which will be
𝑟2
our equation 2.

Prepared by: Christian Elim Soligan BSED IV-A1 (MATHEMATICS)

Source: Elementary Differential Equation, Raiville-Bedient-Bedient, Eight Edition
We wish to express acceleration in terms of velocity (v) and distance (r). Hence,

𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑣
𝑎= = ∙ = ∙ =𝑣
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟
𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑟
𝑎 = 𝑣 𝑑𝑟 because 𝑣 = or velocity is just the change of distance with respect to time.
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝑣 𝑔𝑅 2
Substituting this 𝑎 = 𝑣 𝑑𝑟 to equation 2 will result to 𝑣 𝑑𝑟 = − . Finding for 𝑣, we have;
𝑟2

𝑑𝑣 𝑔𝑅 2
𝑣 =− 2
𝑑𝑟 𝑟
𝑔𝑅 2
𝑣𝑑𝑣 = − 𝑑𝑟 Separation of variables
𝑟2

𝑔𝑅 2
∫ 𝑣𝑑𝑣 = ∫ − 𝑟2
𝑑𝑟 Integrating both sides

𝑑𝑟
∫ 𝑣𝑑𝑣 = −𝑔𝑅 2 ∫ 𝑟 2 Treating −𝑔𝑅 2 as constant

∫ 𝑣𝑑𝑣 = −𝑔𝑅 2 ∫ 𝑟 −2 𝑑𝑟

𝑣2
= −𝑔𝑅 2 (−𝑟 −1 ) + 𝐶
2
𝑣2 1
= −𝑔𝑅 2 (− ) + 𝐶
2 𝑟
𝑣2 𝑔𝑅 2
= +𝐶 Equation 3
2 𝑟

If 𝑟 = 𝑅, then 𝑣 = 𝑣0 or if the object is at the surface of the earth, then its velocity is just
equal to its initial velocity. From the equation 3, we substitute for 𝑟 = 𝑅 and 𝑣 = 𝑣0 .
𝑣2 𝑔𝑅 2
= +𝐶 equation 3
2 𝑟

𝑣0 2 𝑔𝑅 2
= +𝐶 Substitution Property
2 𝑅

𝑣0 2 𝑔𝑅 2
= 𝑔𝑅 + 𝐶 Simplifying into 𝑔𝑅
2 𝑅

𝑣0 2
− 𝑔𝑅 = 𝐶 Addition Property of Equality
2

𝑣0 2
𝐶= − 𝑔𝑅 Symmetric Property
2

Prepared by: Christian Elim Soligan BSED IV-A1 (MATHEMATICS)

Source: Elementary Differential Equation, Raiville-Bedient-Bedient, Eight Edition
 𝑣0 2
Since we all know that 𝐶 = − 𝑔𝑅, substitute this to the original equation, therefore,
2
𝑣2 𝑔𝑅 2 𝑣0 2
equation 3 is just, = + − 𝑔𝑅.
2 𝑟 2

The main question is what is the minimum velocity so that the object will never be pulled
back to the surface of the earth? This is the velocity of escape. The velocity of the
particle should never be equal to zero, otherwise, it will be pulled back by the gravity of
𝑣2 𝑔𝑅 2 𝑣0 2 𝑔𝑅 2
the earth. Notice in = + − 𝑔𝑅 as 𝑟 reaches infinity, approaches zero. This
2 𝑟 2 𝑟
𝑣0 2
means that − 𝑔𝑅 ≥ 0 .
2

𝑣02 − 2𝑔𝑅 ≥ 0

𝑣02 ≥ 2𝑔𝑅

𝑣0 ≥ √2𝑔𝑅

Therefore, the minimum velocity of an object to escape from the surface of the earth is
just equal to√2𝑔𝑅. We can write this as;

𝒗𝒆 = √𝟐𝒈𝑹 where 𝑣𝑒 is the velocity of escape.

APPLICATION

The radius of the earth is approximately 𝑅 = 3,960 miles. The acceleration of gravity at
𝑓𝑡
the surface of the earth is approximately 𝑔 = 32.16 feet per second per second (𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 ).
Find the escape of velocity of an object so that it could lift itself from the surface of the
earth.

𝒗𝒆 = √𝟐𝒈𝑹

𝑓𝑡 1 𝑚𝑖
𝑣𝑒 = √2 (32.16 2
) (3,960 𝑚𝑖)( )
𝑠𝑒𝑐 5,280 𝑓𝑡

𝑣𝑒 = 6.95 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠/𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑

Prepared by: Christian Elim Soligan BSED IV-A1 (MATHEMATICS)

Source: Elementary Differential Equation, Raiville-Bedient-Bedient, Eight Edition