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For a particle dropped from rest from a height much greater than R toward Earth (ignore air), the speed at impact equals approximately:

A√(2GM/R)
B√(2gR)
C√(GM/R)
D√(gR)
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. √(2GM/R)
Energy conservation: ½v² = GM/R ⇒ v = √(2GM/R), the escape speed.
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