4 ms·

Escape velocity is the total amount of acceleration necessary to escape a gravity well, aka the minimum amount of energy.

• nilkn 8y ago
  No, it's explicitly defined as a speed or velocity, not as acceleration and not as energy.
  • larkeith 8y ago
    A velocity is the total of acceleration over time (as was referred to). A mass (the spacecraft) moving at a velocity has a given amount of energy, and in this context may be used interchangeably.
    • mannykannot 8y ago
      This is just pointlessly pedantic. You are going to get into all sorts of problems if you arbitrarily substitute any of velocity, acceleration or energy for any of the others. Having unstated dependencies is only going to lead to avoidable confusion. The key insight revealed in the term 'escape velocity' is that it is independent of the mass of the body. It is also independent of how quickly it acquires that velocity.