A possible means of space flight is to place a perfectly reflectingaluminized sheet into orbit around the Earth and then use the lightfrom the Sun to push this "solar sail." Suppose a sail of area5.00 105 m2 and mass 6300 kg is placed in orbit facing the Sun.

(a) What force is exerted on the sail?

N

(b) What is the sail's acceleration?

m/s2

(c) What time interval is required for the sail to reach the Moon, 3.84 multiplied by 108 maway? Ignore all gravitational effects, assume the accelerationcalculated in part (b) remains constant, and assume a solarintensity of 1370 W/m2.

days

Question

Jaiden Burgess

Physics

19 October, 07:46

A possible means of space flight is to place a perfectly reflectingaluminized sheet into orbit around the Earth and then use the lightfrom the Sun to push this "solar sail." Suppose a sail of area5.00 105 m2 and mass 6300 kg is placed in orbit facing the Sun.

(a) What force is exerted on the sail?

N

(b) What is the sail's acceleration?

m/s2

(c) What time interval is required for the sail to reach the Moon, 3.84 multiplied by 108 maway? Ignore all gravitational effects, assume the accelerationcalculated in part (b) remains constant, and assume a solarintensity of 1370 W/m2.

days

+4

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Rudy Walls · Answer 1

a) F = 4.57 N, b) a = 0.725 m / s², c) t = 3,254 10⁴ s

Explanation:

a) for this problem let's start by using the radiation pressure for a reflective surface

P = 2 S / c

The definition of pressure is

P = F / A

F / A = 2S / c

F = 2 S A / c

F = 2 1370 5.00 105/3 108

F = 4.57 N

b) The acceleration can be calculated with Newton's second law

F = m a

a = F / m

a = 4.57 / 6300

a = 0.725 m / s²

c) the time to reach the Moon, suppose the trip is in a straight line, therefore the initial speed towards the Moon is zero

y = vo t + ½ a t²

y = ½ a t²

t = √ 2y / a

t = √ (2 3.84 10⁸ / 0.725)

t = 3,254 10⁴ s