Question

A 63.0 kg astronaut is on a spacewalk when the tether line to the shuttle breaks. the astronaut is able to throw a spare 10.0 kg oxygen tank in a direction away from the shuttle with a speed of 12.0 m/s, propelling the astronaut back to the shuttle. assuming that the astronaut starts from rest with respect to the shuttle, find the astronaut's final speed with respect to the shuttle after the tank is thrown.

Answer 1

There are other forces at work here nevertheless we will imagine it is just a conservation of momentum exercise. Also the given mass of the astronaut is light astronaut.

The solution for this problem is using the formula: m1V1=m2V2 but we need to get V1:

V1= (m2/m1) V2

V1= (10/63) 12 = 1.9 m/s will be the final speed of the astronaut after throwing the tank. 

Answer 2

Answer:

The astronaut's final speed with respect to the shuttle after the tank is thrown is 1.9 m/s.

Explanation:

It is given that,

Mass of the astronaut, m = 63 kg

Mass of the oxygen tank, m' = 10 kg

Speed of the oxygen tank, v' = 12 m/s

Let v is the astronaut's final speed with respect to the shuttle after the tank is thrown. Initial momentum of the system i.e. astronaut + oxygen tank will be equal to 0. Using the conservation of momentum as :

$p_i=p_f$

$0=mv+m'v'$

$v=\dfrac{m'v'}{m}$

$v=-\dfrac{10\times 12}{63}$

v = -1.9 m/s

So, the astronaut's final speed with respect to the shuttle after the tank is thrown is 1.9 m/s.