Movement of spaceships versus spacewalkers

[Animyr]

If someone were outside of a spaceship, attached to the hull (physically or magnetically, I don't know), and the ship started moving (not at lightspeed or anything, mind you, just cruising) what would happen to the person?

Sorry of this is in the wrong place. This subject isn't my forte, and I'd appreciate it if someone could fill me in. Thanks in advance!

 

[Penn.6-5000]

Suppose it weren't a spaceship, but a big truck. A person is standing in the back of a truck. The truck starts moving. What happens to the person? They lurch back for a moment, but because their shoes have friction with the truck bed, they're able to stand back up and are soon cruising forward at the same speed as the truck they're standing in.

If a person with magnetic boots were standing on the outside of a spaceship and the spaceship abruptly accelerated, the same thing would happen. The spacewalker would feel a lurch but he'd quickly adjust.

Physics let's us be more precise about what happens if we have more details about the spacewalker and the spaceship. Suppose the spaceship just "puffs" its rocket engine. Then after the initial lurch the spaceman will feel the same as he did before the puff---as though the ship isn't dragging him at all. Suppose, on the other hand, that the spaceship keeps its rocket engine firing continuously. Then after the initial lurch the spaceman will still feel that the ship is dragging him. Physics can tell us strong the magnets in his boots need to be so that he doesn't fall off, but to do that we need to know rapidly the ship is accelerating and how massive the man is. It's all of these details that make physics interesting.

 

[Animyr]

So basically it's like normal-if the vehicle moves fast enough, the rider will be thrown off, correct?

Also, does anyone know how one's movement is affected while wearing magnetic boots?

 

[Drakkith]

So basically it's like normal-if the vehicle moves fast enough, the rider will be thrown off, correct?

Also, does anyone know how one's movement is affected while wearing magnetic boots?

You would have to expend a lot of energy just picking your feet up unless you had some way to activate and deactivate the magnets whenever you step. And you probably wouldn't be able to slide your foot very easily, like you would normally do when you turn a corner or something. Imagine walking in mud that liked to suck your feet down a bit. You know, the kind you can lose a shoe in.