Consider two identical objects released from rest high above the surface of the earth (neglect air resistance for this question). In Case 1 we release an object from a height above the surface of the earth equal to 1 earth radius, and we measure its kinetic energy just before it hits the earth to be K₁. In Case 2 we release an object from a height above the surface of the earth equal to 2 earth radii, and we measure its kinetic energy just before it hits the earth to be K₂.

Compare the kinetic energy of the two objects just before they hit the surface of the earth.