Question

Sunlight above the Earth's atmosphere has an intensity of 1.36 kW/m2. If this is reflected straight back from a mirror that has only a small recoil, the light's momentum is exactly reversed, giving the mirror twice the incident momentum. (a) Calculate the force per square meter of mirror (in N/m2). N/m2 (b) Very low mass mirrors can be constructed in the near weightlessness of space, and attached to a spaceship to sail it. Once done, the average mass per square meter of the spaceship is 0.170 kg. Find the acceleration (in m/s2) of the spaceship if all other forces are balanced. m/s2 (c) How fast (in m/s) is it moving 24 hours later

Answer 1

Answer:

a)  $F=9.2*10^{-6}N/m^2$

b)  $a=5.4*10^{-4}m/s$

c)  $v=46.65m/s$

Explanation:

From the question we are told that:

Intensity I= 1.36 kW/m2=>1360W/m

b)Average mass per square meter m = 0.170 kg

c) $T=24hrs$

a)

Generally the equation for force per square meter  is mathematically given by

$F=\frac{2E}{C}$

$F=\frac{2*1360}{3*10^8}$

$F=9.2*10^{-6}N/m^2$

b)

Generally the equation for force  is mathematically given by

F=ma

Therefore

$a=\frac{F}{m}$

$a=\frac{9.2*10^{-6}N/m^2}{0.0170}$

$a=5.4*10^{-4}m/s$

c)

Generally the Newton's equation for Motion is mathematically given by

$v=u+at$

$v=0+5.4*10^{-4}m/s*(24*3600)$

$v=46.65m/s$