An astronaut with a mass of $75 kg$ is floating in space. If the astronaut throws an object with a mass of $35 kg$ at a speed of $5/6 m/s$ , how much will his speed change by?

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Answer 1 · 2016-11-22T23:34:42

Suppose before throwing the object the astronaut has speed $u$ , and afterwards has speed $v$ $ms^-2$

Before:

${"astronaut (75) and object (35)"} rarr u$

After;

${ "astronaut (75)" } rarr v$
${ "object (35)" } rarr 5/6$

By the Conservation of Linear Momentum:

$(75+35)(u) = (75)(v) + (35)(5/6)$
$:. 110u = 75v + 175/6$
$:. 75v = 110u -175/6$
$:. v = 22/15u - 7/18$

An astronaut with a mass of 75 kg75 kg is floating in space. If the astronaut throws an object with a mass of 35 kg35 kg at a speed of 5/6 m/s5/6 m/s, how much will his speed change by?