A 129-kg astronaut (including space suit) acquires a speed of 2.90 m/s by pushing off with her legs from a 1900-kg space capsule. Use the reference frame in which the capsule is at rest before the push. What is the velocity of the space capsule after the push in the reference frame? Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units.

Stephanie Hunter

Stephanie Hunter

Answered question

2022-07-22

A 129-kg astronaut (including space suit) acquires a speed of 2.90 m/s by pushing off with her legs from a 1900-kg space capsule. Use the reference frame in which the capsule is at rest before the push.
What is the velocity of the space capsule after the push in the reference frame? Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units. Enter positive value if the direction of the velocity is in the direction of the velocity of the astronaut and negative value if the direction of the velocity is in the direction opposite to the velocity of the astronaut.

Answer & Explanation

autosmut6p

autosmut6p

Beginner2022-07-23Added 8 answers

Step 1
From the conservation of momentum we know that,
m 1 u 1 + m 2 u 2 = m 1 v 1 + m 2 v 2 . . . . . . . . ( 1 )
Here m 1 = 129   k g
m 2 = 1900   k g
u 1 = u 2 = 0 v 1 = 2.90   m / s
Putting these values in (1) we get
0 = 129 × 2.90 + 1900 × v 2
Or, v 2 = 0.20   m / s

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