Question

A spaceship of mass 1.9×106 kg is cruising at a speed of 5.1×106 m/s when the antimatter reactor fails, blowing the ship into three pieces. One section, having a mass of 4.8×105 kg , is blown straight backward with a speed of 2.5×106 m/s . A second piece, with mass 8.1×105 kg , continues forward at 1.2×106 m/s . What is the speed of the third piece? Assume that the initial speed of the ship is positive.Part AWhat is the speed of the third piece?Express your answer using two significant figures.m/sPart BWhat is the directionof the third piece?Straight backwardStraight forward

Answer 1

Answer:

16.26*10⁶ m/s straight forward

Explanation:

mass of third piece = (1.9*10⁶-4.8*10⁵-8.1*10⁵) = 6.1*10⁵ kg

According to the laws of conservation of linear momentum,

the momentum of the moving objects before impact is equal to the momentum of the objects after impact (Assuming no external forces were applied)

momentum before impact = momentum after impact

(as in the graph)

Assume the spaceship was moving forward horizontally right.

After the blast then the pieces also should have horizontal velocities only.

We assume the third part travels forward→

                                    MV  =  m1*v1 + m2*v2 + m3*v3

→1.9*10⁶ * 5.1*10⁶ = ←4.8*10⁵  * 2.5*10⁶ + →8.1*10⁵ * 1.2*10⁶ +→ 6.1*10⁵ * V

V=16.26*10⁶ m/s straight forward