Working mass Working mass Working mass, also referred to as reaction mass, is a mass against which a system operates in order to produce acceleration. In the case of a rocket, for example, the reaction mass is the fuel shot backwards to provide propulsion. All acceleration requires an exchange of momentum, which can be thought of as the "unit of movement". Momentum is related to mass and velocity, as given by the formula "P = mv," where "P" is the momentum, "m" the mass, and "v" the velocity. The velocity of a body is easily changeable, but in most cases the mass
Escape velocity "r" from the center of mass of the planet, whose mass is "M". Its initial speed is equal to its escape velocity, formula_6. At its final state, "f", it will be an infinite distance away from the planet, and its speed will be negligibly small and assumed to be 0. Kinetic energy "K" and gravitational potential energy "U" are the only types of energy that we will deal with, so by the conservation of energy, "K" = 0 because final velocity is zero, and "U" = 0 because its final distance is infinity, so where μ is the standard gravitational