Physics
With the engines off, a spaceship is coasting at avelocity of +260m/s through outer space. The ship carries rockets that are mounted in firing tubes, the back ends of which are closed. It fires a rocket straight ahead at an enemy vessel. The mass of the rocket is 1100kg, and the mass of the spaceship (not including the rocket) is 5000000kg. The firing of the rocket brings the spaceship to a halt. What is the velocity of the rocket?
Momentum is conserved.
MassRocket*changevelocityrocket=massShip(changevelocity sship)
Now the change in rocket velocity is (Vr-260m/s). The change in ship velocity is -260m/s
solve for velocity of the rocket.
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Answers
Vr = (5000000kg*(-260m/s)) / (1100kg) Vr = -460909.09 m/s Therefore, the velocity of the rocket is -460909.09 m/s. This is because when the rocket is fired, conservation of momentum states that the momentum of the rocket and the spaceship must be equal and opposite. Since the momentum of the rocket is the product of its mass and velocity, this means that their velocity changes must be inversely proportional to their masses, as seen in the equation above.
