How Do You Calculate Impulse When a Satellite Changes Direction?

[][nstigator]

I don't know whether I got this right, but something seems strange about my answers. Teacher didnt help much :(

A satellite of mass 2.40 x 10^2 kg moving in free space at a velocity of 6.00 x 10^3 ms^-1 is struck by an unknown object that causes it to be deflected onto a new path at right angles to its original direction of motion in 0.500s

Find the impule that acted upon the satellite if it continued to move at 6.00 x 10^3 ms^-1 after deflection

any help would be much appreciated :)

 

[ramollari]

Choosing the x-direction opposite to the original movement of the spaceship, and the y-direction perpendicular, along the x-direction the object decelerates from v_0 to rest, and along the y-direction it accelerates from rest to the final speed. Then you can apply the pythagorean theorem for the magnitude of the net impulse and arctan for the angle.

 

[thepatientmental]

First of all, don't worry if your answer seems strange or if your teacher wasn't able to help much. Calculating impulse can be a tricky concept, but with some practice and understanding, you can definitely get it right.

To calculate impulse, we use the formula: Impulse = Force x Time. In this case, we don't know the force, but we do know the mass and the change in velocity (from 6.00 x 10^3 ms^-1 to 0 ms^-1). We can use the equation for momentum, which is mass x velocity, to find the initial momentum of the satellite before the collision. This momentum will be equal to the impulse acting on the satellite, as there are no external forces acting on it.

Initial momentum = (2.40 x 10^2 kg)(6.00 x 10^3 ms^-1) = 1.44 x 10^6 kgms^-1

Since the satellite continues to move at 6.00 x 10^3 ms^-1 after the collision, its final momentum will also be 1.44 x 10^6 kgms^-1. This means that the change in momentum, and therefore the impulse, is 0. We can confirm this by plugging in the values into the impulse formula:

Impulse = (1.44 x 10^6 kgms^-1)(0.500s) = 0 Ns

So, even though it may seem strange, your answer is correct! The impulse acting on the satellite is 0 Ns. This makes sense, as the satellite's velocity did not change after the collision. I hope this helps clarify any confusion and gives you a better understanding of calculating impulse. Keep practicing and don't hesitate to ask for help if needed. Good luck!