The sum of kinetic and potential energy is when a missile is launched with a velocity less than the escape velocity :
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The sum of kinetic and potential energy when a missile is launched with a velocity less than the escape velocity is always negative.
Total Energy : E = U + T
... where T = Kinetic Energy and U = Potential Energy.
The -ve sign indicates that the system is a bound system.