what direction is escape velocity defined in? (1 Viewer)

[oompaman]

Hi

Is escape velocity defined as vertically upwards?
If so how does it fit in with newtons cannon thought experiment?

Thanks

 

[ocatal]

According to Wikipedia: "Escape velocity is actually a speed (not a velocity) because it does not specify a direction: no matter what the direction of travel is, the object can escape the gravitational field (provided its path does not intersect the planet)." So I would imagine escape velocity is a scalar quantity then.

 

[iBibah]

So really, it's not escape velocity. It's escape speed.


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