A spaceship can move along a line toward and away from a planet. The gravitation

Question

A spaceship can move along a line toward and away from a planet. The gravitational force felt by the ship is F(x) = -C/x2 where x is the distance from the planet's center and C is a constant. The minus sign means that gravity tries to pull the ship toward x=0, i.e. toward the planet. Which of the following statements is true?

A. The force is conservative and the potential energy function is U(x) = -C/x + const

B. The force is conservative and the potential energy function is U(x) = C/x + const

C. The force is non-conservative

D. The force is conservative and the potential energy function is U(x) = -2C/x3 + const

Explanation / Answer

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