Question

Sunlight above the Earth's atmosphere has an intensity of 1.36 kW/m2. If this is reflected straight back from a mirror that has only a small recoil, the light's momentum is exactly reversed, giving the mirror twice the incident momentum. (a) Calculate the force per square meter of mirror (in N/m2). N/m2 (b) Very low mass mirrors can be constructed in the near weightlessness of space, and attached to a spaceship to sail it. Once done, the average mass per square meter of the spaceship is 0.170 kg. Find the acceleration (in m/s2) of the spaceship if all other forces are balanced. m/s2 (c) How fast (in m/s) is it moving 24 hours later

Answer 1

a)
`F=9.2*10^(-6)N/m^2`

b)
`a=5.4*10^(-4)m/s`

c)
`v=46.65m/s`

Step-by-step explanation:

From the question we are told that:

Intensity I= 1.36 kW/m2=>1360W/m

b)Average mass per square meter m = 0.170 kg

c)
`T=24hrs`

a)

Generally the equation for force per square meter is mathematically given by

`F=(2E)/(C)`

`F=(2*1360)/(3*10^8)`

`F=9.2*10^(-6)N/m^2`

b)

Generally the equation for force is mathematically given by

F=ma

Therefore

`a=(F)/(m)`

`a=(9.2*10^(-6)N/m^2)/(0.0170)`

`a=5.4*10^(-4)m/s`

c)

Generally the Newton's equation for Motion is mathematically given by

`v=u+at`

`v=0+5.4*10^(-4)m/s*(24*3600)`

`v=46.65m/s`