Question

A space vehicle is traveling at 2980 km/h relative to Earth when the exhausted rocket motor is disengaged and sent backward. The relative speed between the motor and the command module is then 94 km/h. The mass of the motor is four times the mass of the module. What is the speed of the command module relative to Earth just after the separation

Answer 1

3054.4 km/h

Step-by-step explanation:

Using the conservation of momentum

momentum before separation = 5M × 2980 Km/h where M represent the mass of the module while 4 M represent the mass of the motor

initial momentum = 14900 M km/h

let v be the new speed of the motor so that the

new momentum = 4Mv and the new momentum of the module = M ( v + 94 km/h )

total momentum = 4Mv + Mv + 93 M = 5 Mv + 93M

initial momentum = final momentum

14900 M km/h = 5 Mv + 93M

14900 km/h = 5v + 93

14900 - 93 = 5v

v = 2961.4 km/h

the speed of the module = 2961.4 + 93 = 3054.4 km/h