The International Space Station (ISS) has a mass of about 441,000 kg and orbits at a height of about 4.0 x 105 meters above the surface of Earth. If the average U.S. household uses about 40 billion joules (4.0 x 1010 J) of energy in a year, how many households could be powered for a year by the gravitational potential energy stored in the ISS?

The International Space Station (ISS) has a mass of about 441,000 kg and orbits at a height of about 4.0 x 105 meters above the surface of Earth. If the average U.S. household uses about 40 billion joules (4.0 x 1010 J) of energy in a year, how many households could be powered for a year by the gravitational potential energy stored in the ISS?

Principles of Physics: A Calculus-Based Text

5th Edition

ISBN:9781133104261

Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett

Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett

Chapter6: Energy Of A System

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 50P

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The International Space Station (ISS) has a mass of about 441,000 kg and orbits at a height of about 4.0 x 10⁵meters above the surface of Earth.

If the average U.S. household uses about 40 billion joules (4.0 x 10¹⁰ J) of energy in a year, how many households could be powered for a year by the gravitational potential energy stored in the ISS?

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