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Ch. 09 - Linear Momentum
Giancoli Douglas - Physics for Scientists and Engineers 5th edition
Giancoli Douglas5th editionPhysics for Scientists and EngineersISBN: 9780137488179Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 9, Problem 94

An astronaut of mass 210 kg including his suit and jet pack wants to acquire a velocity of 2.0 m/s to move back toward his space shuttle. Assuming the jet pack can eject gas with a velocity of 35 m/s, what mass of gas will need to be ejected?

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Identify the principle involved: This problem is based on the conservation of momentum, which states that the total momentum of a system remains constant if no external forces act on it. The astronaut and the ejected gas form an isolated system.
Write the equation for conservation of momentum: The initial momentum of the system is zero because both the astronaut and the gas are stationary. After the gas is ejected, the momentum of the astronaut and the gas must still sum to zero. Mathematically, this is expressed as: m1v1 + m2v2 = 0, where m1 and v1 are the mass and velocity of the astronaut, and m2 and v2 are the mass and velocity of the ejected gas.
Rearrange the equation to solve for the mass of the gas: Since the astronaut's velocity is given as 2.0 m/s and the velocity of the ejected gas is 35 m/s, substitute these values into the equation. Rearrange to find m2 = - (m1v1) / v2. The negative sign indicates that the gas moves in the opposite direction to the astronaut.
Substitute the known values into the equation: The astronaut's mass m1 is 210 kg, his velocity v1 is 2.0 m/s, and the velocity of the gas v2 is 35 m/s. Plug these values into the equation to calculate the mass of the gas.
Interpret the result: The calculated mass of the gas represents the amount of gas that must be ejected from the jet pack to give the astronaut the desired velocity of 2.0 m/s. Ensure the units are consistent and the result makes physical sense.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Conservation of Momentum

The conservation of momentum principle states that in a closed system, the total momentum before an event must equal the total momentum after the event. In this scenario, the astronaut and the gas ejected from the jet pack form a closed system. By applying this principle, we can relate the momentum gained by the astronaut to the momentum lost by the gas.
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Rocket Equation

The rocket equation, also known as Tsiolkovsky's equation, describes the motion of vehicles that follow the principle of rocket propulsion. It relates the change in velocity of a rocket to the effective exhaust velocity of the propellant and the mass of the rocket before and after the propellant is expelled. This equation is crucial for determining how much gas must be ejected to achieve the desired velocity.
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Relative Velocity

Relative velocity refers to the velocity of one object as observed from another object. In this context, the velocity of the gas ejected from the jet pack is measured relative to the astronaut. Understanding relative velocity is essential for calculating the effective thrust produced by the jet pack and how it contributes to the astronaut's motion toward the shuttle.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Astronomers estimate that a 2.0-km-diameter asteroid collides with the Earth once every million years. The collision could pose a threat to life on Earth. Assume a spherical asteroid has a mass of 3200 kg for each cubic meter of volume and moves toward the Earth at 15 km/s. How much destructive energy could be released when it embeds itself in the Earth?

Textbook Question

A rifle is aimed at a 2.0-kg block of wood along an inclined plane making an angle of 25°, as shown in Fig. 9–59. A 9.5-g bullet is fired at 760 m/s and becomes embedded in the block. How far up the incline does the block/bullet slide?

(a) Ignore the friction.

(b) Assume μₖ = 0.33.

Textbook Question

A 5.5-kg object moving in the +𝓍 direction at 6.5 m/s collides head-on with an 8.0-kg object moving in the ―𝓍 direction at 4.0 m/s. Determine the final velocity of each object if the 5.5-kg object is at rest after the collision.

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Textbook Question

A fake hockey puck of mass 4m has been rigged to explode. Initially the puck is at rest on a frictionless ice rink. Then it bursts into three pieces. One chunk, of mass m, slides across the ice at velocity vî. Another chunk, of mass 2m, slides across the ice at velocity 2v ĵ. Determine the velocity of the third chunk.

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Textbook Question

The gravitational slingshot effect. Figure 9–62 shows the planet Saturn moving in the negative 𝓍 direction at its orbital speed (with respect to the Sun) of 9.6 km/s. The mass of Saturn is 5.69 x 10²⁶ kg. A spacecraft with mass 825 kg approaches Saturn. When far from Saturn, it moves in the +𝓍 direction at 10.4 km/s. The gravitational attraction of Saturn (a conservative force) acting on the spacecraft causes it to swing around the planet (orbit shown as dashed line) and head off in the opposite direction. Using momentum conservation in one dimension, estimate the final speed of the spacecraft after it is far enough away to be considered free of Saturn’s gravitational pull. Assume the spacecraft does not affect the orbit of Saturn whose mass is so much larger.

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Textbook Question

In order to convert a tough split in bowling, it is necessary to strike the pin a glancing blow as shown in Fig. 9–64. Assume that the bowling ball, traveling at 14.0 m/s just before it strikes the pin, has five times the mass of a pin and that the pin goes off at 75° from the original direction of the ball. Calculate the speed of the pin and (b) of the ball just after collision.

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