A spaceship is visiting Planet X. While descending to the surface,its rockets pr

Question

A spaceship is visiting Planet X. While descending to the surface,its rockets produce 25 kN of upward thrust and the spaceship%u2019s speed decreases at a rate of 0.15 m/s2 . Following the completion of its mission, the spaceship lifts off to return to its home planet. While leaving Planet X%u2019s surface, the rockets produce 75 kN of upward thrust and the spaceship%u2019s speed increases at a rate of 0.50 m/s2. What is the mass of the spaceship and the acceleration due to gravity at the surface of Planet X? Assume that the acceleration due to gravity is constant.

Explanation / Answer

let m and a be the mass and acceleration due to gravity of planet X

we know that

F1 = m x (a - a1) -----------(1)

where F1 = 25 kN = 25 x 10^3 N and a1 = 0.15 m/s^2

Also,

F2 = m x (a - a2) ----------(2)

where F2 = 75 kN = 75 x 10^3 N and a2 = 0.50 m/s^2

solving equations (1) and (2) for m and a

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