Exploding Spaceship: Calculating Velocity and Energy

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving a spherical spaceship that explodes into two pieces, with one piece being 3.61 times the mass of the other. In part (a), the spaceship is initially at rest, and the smaller piece moves at 70.9 m/s, prompting calculations for the larger piece's velocity and the energy from the explosion. Part (b) considers the spaceship moving at 48.9 m/s before the explosion, with the smaller piece again moving at 70.9 m/s in the same direction, requiring a different velocity calculation for the larger piece. In part (c), the smaller piece moves at -70.9 m/s after the explosion, indicating a change in direction, which also affects the velocity of the larger piece. The key principle highlighted throughout is the conservation of linear momentum.
rishabh_k
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Homework Statement


a 2710000kg spherical spaceship in deep space explodes into two pieces, one 3.61 times the mass of the other. (a) suppose the ship is initially at rest, and after the explosion the smaller piece is moving at 70.9m/s. Find the velocity of the larger piece. Find the energy supplied by the explosion.
(b) Suppose the ship is initially moving at the constant velocity 48.9m/s.After the explosion, the smaller piece is moving 70.9m/s in the same direction as the initial velocity. Find the velocity of the larger piece.
(c) Suppose the ship is initially moving at constant velocity 48.9m/s. After the explosion, the smaller piece is moving -70.9m/s.Find the velocity of the larger piece.


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rishabh_k said:

Homework Statement


a 2710000kg spherical spaceship in deep space explodes into two pieces, one 3.61 times the mass of the other. (a) suppose the ship is initially at rest, and after the explosion the smaller piece is moving at 70.9m/s. Find the velocity of the larger piece. Find the energy supplied by the explosion.
(b) Suppose the ship is initially moving at the constant velocity 48.9m/s.After the explosion, the smaller piece is moving 70.9m/s in the same direction as the initial velocity. Find the velocity of the larger piece.
(c) Suppose the ship is initially moving at constant velocity 48.9m/s. After the explosion, the smaller piece is moving -70.9m/s.Find the velocity of the larger piece.

Surprise me and show me you knew all along that linear momentum was conserved.
 
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