Question

A comic-strip superhero meets an asteroid in outer space and hurls it at 100 m/s. The asteroid is a thousand times more massive than the superhero is. In the strip, the superhero is seen at rest after the throw. Taking physics into account, what would be his recoil speed? What is this in miles per hour?

Answer 1

Answer:

100000 m/s in the opposite direction

22369.4185194 mph

Explanation:

$m_1$ = Mass of superhero

$m_2$ = Mass of asteroid = $1000m_1$

$v_2$ = Speed at which the asteroid is thrown = 100 m/s

$v_1$ = Recoil velocity

Here the linear momentum of the system is conserved

$m_1v_1+m_2v_2=0\\\Rightarrow v_1=-\dfrac{m_2v_2}{m_1}\\\Rightarrow v_1=-\dfrac{1000m_1\times 100}{m_1}\\\Rightarrow v_1=-100000\ m/s$

The recoil speed is 100000 m/s in the opposite direction

Converting to miles per hour

$\dfrac{10000}{1609.34}\times 3600=22369.4185194\ mph$

The speed is 22369.4185194 mph