Question

Comic strip hero superman meets an asteroid in outer space and hurls it at 100m/s. he has a mass of "m". The astroid has a mass of 1000m. Determine superman's velocity after throwing the astroid.

Answer 1

v = -10⁵ m/s

Step-by-step explanation:

given,

speed of asteroid,v' = 100 m/s

mass of superman = m

mass of asteroid,M = 1000 m

recoil velocity of superman,v= ?

using conservation of momentum.

m u + M u' = m v + M v'

initial velocity of asteroid and superman is equal to zero

0 + 0 = m v + 1000 m x 100

m v = -100000 m

v = -10⁵ m/s

superman's velocity after throwing the asteroid is equal to v = -10⁵ m/s