The ultimate speed of a solar-sail-propelled spacecraft is limited by the
A) low energy photons that the Sun produces
B) gravitational force of the Sun
C) fact that the intensity of sunlight falls off rapidly with distance
D) mass of the spacecraft

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The intensity of sunlight decreases as the distance from the Sun increases, so the ultimate speed of a solar-sail-propelled spacecraft is limited by the fact that the intensity of sunlight falls off rapidly with distance. This means that the farther the spacecraft gets from the Sun, the less effective the solar sail will be in propelling it forward.

The Ultimate Speed of a Solar-Sail-Propelled Spacecraft Is Limited by the