One hazard of space travel is debris left by previous missions. There are severa

Question

One hazard of space travel is debris left by previous missions.  There are several thousand masses large enough to detect by radar orbiting the earth, but there are far greater numbers of very small masses such as flakes of paint.  Calculate the force exerted by a 0.120 mg chip of paint that strikes a space shuttle window at a relative speed of 4.00 ? 103 m/s and sticks, given the collision lasts 6.00 ? 10-8 s.  Such a collision chipped the window of the ill-fated Challenger in June 1983, causing $50,000 of damage.
     N

Two manned satellites approaching one another at a relative speed of 0.300 m/s intend to dock. The first has a mass of 4.00 ? 103 kg, and the second a mass of 7.50 ? 103 kg. If the two satellites collide elastically rather than dock, what is their final relative velocity? Adopt the reference frame in which the second satellite is initially at rest and assume that the positive direction is directed from the second satellite towards the first satellite.
     m/s

Explanation / Answer

1)

Force = change on momentum/time taken = m*v/t = 0.12*10^-6*4*10^3/(6*10^-8)

= 8000 N

2)

conerving momentum,

final momentum = initial momentum,

so, 4*10^3*0.3 = 4*10^3*v+7.5*10^3*u

conserving energy,

0.5*4*10^3*0.3^2 +0 = 0.5*4*10^3*v+0.5*7.5*10^3*u^2

So, v = 0.06 m/s, y = 0.13 m/s

So, relative speed = 0.06-0.13 = -0.07 m/s <-------------answer

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