If a rocket with a mass of #2500 tons # vertically accelerates at a rate of # 5/2 m/s^2#, how much power will the rocket have to exert to maintain its acceleration at 15 seconds?

1 Answer
Dec 8, 2017

The power is #=1153.1MW#

Explanation:

The mass of the rocket is #m=2500000kg#

The acceleration of the rocket is #a=5/2ms^-2#

The acceleration due to gravity is #=9.8ms^-2#

According to Newton's second Law, the net force on the rocket is

#F=m(a+g)=2500000*(9.8+2.5)=30750000N#

Assuming that the initial velocity of the rocket is #u=0ms^-1#

The velocity after #t=15s# is

#v=u+at=0+2.5*15=37.5ms^-1#

The power is

#P=Fv=30750000*37.5=1153125kW=1153.1MW#