Spaceship approaching Mars and relative motion

In summary, the conversation discusses finding the relative velocity of Mars and the spaceship. It is determined that the spaceship's velocity is 0 and the velocity of Mars should be calculated using vector subtraction. The direction of the relative velocity is also discussed, with the conclusion that it should be 90°.
  • #1
Like Tony Stark
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Homework Statement
The spaceship S approaches Mars following the trajectory ##b-b## with velocity ##\vec v_S=19.3 \frac{km}{s}## with respect to the Sun. If Mars has a velocity ##\vec v_M=24.1 \frac{km}{s}## along the trajectory ##a-a## with respect to the Sun, determine the angle between ##SM## and ##b-b## such that a person inside the spaceship "sees" that Mars is moving towards him.
Relevant Equations
##\vec v_{B/A}=\vec v_B - \vec v_A##
As the problem asks for the spaceship's perspective, I know that I should take ##\vec v_S=0## and ##\vec v_M=24.1-19.3## because the motion is relative to the spaceship. Then, the relative velocity of Mars and ##SM## should have the same direction. If they have the same direction, that angle would be 90°, wouldn't it? I mean, probably I'm forgetting something, but that's the way I tried to do it

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  • #2
Like Tony Stark said:
I know that I should take ##\vec v_S=0## and ##\mathbf{\vec v_M=24.1-19.3}## because the motion is relative to the spaceship.

The equation for ##\vec v_M## is a vector equation. So on the right hand side should be a vector subtraction. You have treated them as scalars.
 

FAQ: Spaceship approaching Mars and relative motion

1. How does the relative motion of a spaceship approaching Mars affect its speed?

The relative motion of a spaceship approaching Mars does not affect its speed. The spaceship will maintain a constant speed unless acted upon by an external force, such as gravity.

2. How does the distance between Mars and the spaceship change as the spaceship approaches?

The distance between Mars and the spaceship decreases as the spaceship approaches due to the gravitational pull of Mars. This is known as the Law of Universal Gravitation.

3. Will the spaceship's trajectory be affected by the gravitational pull of Mars?

Yes, the spaceship's trajectory will be affected by the gravitational pull of Mars. This is because the spaceship and Mars are both massive objects, and according to Newton's Laws of Motion, they exert a gravitational force on each other.

4. How does the relative motion of the spaceship affect the time it takes to reach Mars?

The relative motion of the spaceship does not affect the time it takes to reach Mars. The time it takes for the spaceship to reach Mars is determined by its initial speed and the gravitational pull of Mars.

5. What factors can affect the relative motion of a spaceship approaching Mars?

The relative motion of a spaceship approaching Mars can be affected by factors such as the initial velocity of the spaceship, the gravitational pull of Mars, and any external forces acting on the spaceship, such as solar winds or gravitational pulls from other planets.

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