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dmack15
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Homework Statement
Been stuck on this problem. Any help will be greatly appreciated
1. The (actual) spacecraft Deep Space 1 tested an ion drive engine in which Xenon atoms
were accelerated (maximum voltage of 1,300 volts), neutralized and used to provide
thrust. The probe carried 74 kg of Xenon and fired it engines for 678 days. The electrical
power was supplied by solar panels which were capable of delivering 2,100 watts to the
engines. The initial mass of the probe was 486 kg and the ion engine was started while
the probe was in orbit around the sun. From this data estimate;
a. Calculate or look up the mass of a single Xenon atom in kg.
.1313 kgb. Assuming the Xenon atom is initially at rest what its velocity is after being accelerated through 1,300 volts.
i was thinking here to do conservation of energy involving electrical potential but it doesn't make sense
c. Using the data above, calculate the number of Xenon atoms that exited Deep Space 1 each second the drive was operating.d. The Thrust of the engine (in Newton’s second) is the Newton’s 3rd law reaction to the change in momentum due to the exiting Xenon atoms. Calculate this trust by multiplying the total mass of the Xenon atoms that leave the spacecraft in one second (see a and c) times the exiting velocity (in m/2, see b).e. Given that the initial mass of Deep Space 1, what was its initial acceleration.f. Given the final mass of Deep Space 1 (when all of its fuel was spent) what was
the final acceleration before the engine shut down
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
I have attempted at using conservation of energy in charge reactions but it doesn't seem to work. i need an equation involving velocity and voltage