Space debris left from old satellites and their launchers is becoming a hazard to other satellites.
a. Calculate the speed of a satellite in an orbit 900 km above Earth's surface.
b. Suppose a loose rivet is in an orbit of the same radius that intersects the satellite's orbit at an angle of 90°. What is the velocity of the rivet relative to the satellite just before striking it?
c. If its mass is 0.500 g and it comes to rest inside the satellite, how much energy in joules is generated by the collision? (Assume the satellite's velocity does not change appreciably because its mass is much greater than the rivet's.)
