Question

One hazard of space travel is debris left by previous missions. There are several thousand masses large enough to detect by radar orbiting the earth, but there are far greater numbers of very small masses such as flakes of paint. Calculate the force exerted by a 0.150 mg chip of paint that strikes a space shuttle window at a relative speed of 4.00 ✕ 103 m/s and sticks, given the collision lasts 6.00 ✕ 10-8 s. Such a collision chipped the window of the ill-fated Challenger in June 1983, causing $50,000 of damage.

Answer 1

Force exerted, F = 10000 N

Step-by-step explanation:

Mass of the chip of paint,
`m = 0.15\ mg =1.5* 10^(-7)\ kg`

Relative speed,
`v=4* 10^3\ m/s`

Time for collision,
`t=6* 10^(-8)\ s`

It is a case of inelastic collision as it sticks to the spacecraft. Using the conservation of linear momentum to find the force exerted.

`F=(\Delta p)/(t)`

`F=(mv)/(t)`

`F=(1.5* 10^(-7)* 4* 10^3)/(6* 10^(-8))`

F = 10000 N

So, the force exerted by a 0.150 mg chip of paint is 10000 N. Hence, this is the required solution.