Conservation Laws - conceptual help

[Sabres151]

Here's the question:

"An astronnaut working with many tools some distance away from a spacecraft is stranded when the "manueving unit" malfunctions. How can the astronaut return to the spacecraft by sacrificing some of the tools?"

I don't quite understand what they're getting at here. The best I could relate this to was the conservation law...

 

[Checkfate]

Think about shooting a rifle, what happens to your shoulder. Now how can you relate that to Newtons 3rd law. If you need more help, ask, I am just trying to make you think :)

 

[Sabres151]

Think about shooting a rifle, what happens to your shoulder. Now how can you relate that to Newtons 3rd law. If you need more help, ask, I am just trying to make you think :)

I see, so it's referencing an issue relating to force rather than a law. So, the astronaut would need to throw the tools which in turn the tool being thrown offers a force back on the astronaut causing him to move towards the craft...

 

[Checkfate]

Thats right :) But it is Newton's third law that states that this will happen :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion#Newton.27s_third_law:_law_of_reciprocal_actions if you want more information about it.

edit: make sure you understand which direction he would need to throw the tools, and why. How many forces are acting when you throw a tool? That web page should help you answer that question :)