In a message dated 2/18/01 10:24:21 PM Eastern Standard Time,
trebor@VELOCITY.NET writes:
<< I'll start the ball rolling by observing that your equation for the escape
velocity is correct, but your words leading up to it are not. You have set
the total energy equal to zero, not the Lagrangian (recall that the
potential energy here is negative). Also two language/grammar nitpicks :
Several times you refer to the "faith" of a star - perhaps you meat
"fate"? - You also say that the stiffness of a body "effects" the speed of
sound - that should be "affects"? >>
Bob Thank you for the corrections. Of course I should have said that the
kinetic and potential energy were balanced at the point where any mass would
be at just the escape velocity. The Lagrangian would not be at zero.
Potential energy is negative as you say. Also you are correct that it should
be fate not faith and affects not effects.