Question

Suppose you are in a spacesuit drifting weightless in space some distance away from your spaceship. You have run out of compressed gas for your mini-thruster. Fortunately, you happen to have a bag of baseballs. What can you do to get back to your spaceship?

Please give an answer quickly I have to turn this in today.

Answer 1

v = -\frac{n \ m}{M} \ v'

for the man to return to the ship he must throw the balls in the opposite direction of the ship

Step-by-step explanation:

For this exercise we can use the conservation of momentum. Let's form a system made up of man and baseballs.

Initial instant. Before throwing the balls

p₀ = 0

Final moment. After throwing the balls

`p_(f)` = M v + n m v '

where M is the mass of the man, m is the mass of each ball and n is the number of balls , v isthe speed man and v' is the speed ball

Since the forces are internal, the momentum of the system is conserved

p₀ = p_{f}

0 = M v + n m v ’

`v =- (n \ m)/(M) \ v'`

If we analyze this expression, for the man to return to the ship he must throw the balls in the opposite direction of the ship