Velocity quantity, momentum, is a vector and defined by In special relativity, the dimensionless Lorentz factor appears frequently, and is given by where γ is the Lorentz factor and "c" is the speed of light. Escape velocity is the minimum speed a ballistic object needs to escape from a massive body such as Earth. It represents the kinetic energy that, when added to the object's gravitational potential energy, (which is always negative) is equal to zero. The general formula for the escape velocity of an object at a distance "r" from the center of a planet with mass "M" is where
Escape velocity a body that falls under the force of gravitational attraction of mass "M", from infinity, starting with zero velocity, will strike the massive object with a velocity equal to its escape velocity given by the same formula. When given an initial speed formula_2 greater than the escape speed formula_3 the object will asymptotically approach the "hyperbolic excess speed" formula_4 satisfying the equation: In these equations atmospheric friction (air drag) is not taken into account. A rocket moving out of a gravity well does not actually need to attain escape velocity to escape, but could achieve the same result (escape) at