Question

A spacecraft drifts through space at a constant velocity. Suddenly, a gas leak in the side of the spacecraft gives it a constant acceleration in a direction perpendicular to the initial velocity. The orientation of the spacecraft does not change, so the acceleration remains perpendicular to the original direction of the velocity. What is the shape of the path followed by the spacecraft in this situation

Answer 1

Answer: The path will be a parabola.

Step-by-step explanation: The path is a parabola because the motion described is a projectile motion, in which an object thrown or projected is subjected only to the acceleration.

In this motion, velocity must be constant and horizontal and acceleration is perpendicular compared to the direction of the velocity. In these conditions, the path is a parabola and the motion is a projectile.