Question

The space shuttle fleet was designed with two booster stages. If the second stage provides a thrust of 73 ​kilo-newtons and the space shuttle has an acceleration of 16,000 miles per hour squared ​, what is the mass of the spacecraft in units of​ pounds-mass ​?

Answer 1

Answer:

m = 81281.5 pounds.

Explanation:

Given that,

Force, F = 73 kN

Acceleration of the space shuttle, a = 16000 mi/h²

1 miles/h² = 0.0001241 m/s2

16000 mi/h² = 1.98 m/s²

We need to find the mass of the spacecraft.

According to Newton's second law,

F = ma

m is mass of the spacecraft

$m=\dfrac{F}{a}\\\\m=\dfrac{73\times 10^3\ N}{1.98\ m/s^2}\\\\m=36868.68\ kg$

Since, 1 kg = 2.20462 pounds

m = 81281.5 pounds

Hence, the mass of the spacecraft is 81281.5 pounds.