Zero accerlation for spacewalking astronaut and sattelite?

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SUMMARY

An 8-kg astronaut exerts a 100N force on a 640-kg satellite for 0.5 seconds, resulting in an acceleration calculated using Newton's second law. After contact, both the astronaut and the satellite experience no further acceleration due to the absence of applied force, as per Newton's third law. The distance between them after one minute is determined by their respective velocities post-contact, which remain constant due to the lack of acceleration.

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BadaBadi
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1. An 8- kg spacewalking astronaut pushes off a 640 kg satellite, exerting 100N force for the 0.5s it takes to straighten his arms. How far apart are they after 1 minute?



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3. So, I calculated the the accelration of the spaceman and the satelite during contact. My school has the solutions of the problems posted ( its an old assignment), and what I don't understand is that they calculate the accerlation and also the final velocities but then they go on to calculate the distance after contact with 0 accerlation. I don't understand why they take the accerlation after the contact to be 0. Sorry if it sounds like a stupid question
 
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Welcome to PF, Bada.
While his hand is pushing on the spacecraft the spacecraft pushes back on his hand according to Newton's 3rd law. This force causes him to accelerate. After his hand loses contact, there is no pushing, no force on the astronaut so he doesn't accelerate.
 

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