Question

Question 5 of 20 Two astronauts are taking a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The first astronaut has a mass of 82.6 kg. The second has a mass of 72.3 kg. Initially, both astronauts have zero velocity relative to each other. Then, the astronauts push against each other, giving the first astronaut a final velocity of 0.7 m/s to the left. If the momentum of the system is conserved, what is the final velocity of the second person? A. 0.8 m/s to the right O B. 0.8 m/s to the left C. 1.4 m/s to the left​

Answer 1

A. 0.8 m/s to the right

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the momentum of the second astronaut, we need the momentum of the first one.

The momentum of astronaut 1, we will call it
`p_(1)`, is equal to mass * velocity:

`p_(1) =82.6*-0.7\\p_(1) =-57.82`

The momentum is negative since the left direction is considered negative.

Use the formula
`(p)/(m) =v` to find velocity:

`57.82/72.3 = v\\0.7999 = v\\ 0.8 = v`

The astronaut must be moving to the right, since the first astronaut gave an impulse to the other astronaut to the right, therefore: 0.8m/s to the right.