The International Space Station has a mass of 1.8 × 10⁵kg.A astronaut inside the station pushes off one wall of the station so she accelerates at .What is the magnitude of the acceleration of the space station as the astronaut is pushing off the wall? Give your answer relative to an observer who is space walking and therefore does not accelerate with the space station due to the push. A) 5.8 × 10^-4 m/s² B) 1.50 m/s² C) 4.7 × 10^-4 m/s² D) zero E) 3.9 × 10^-3 m/s²

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Newton's third law, the force the astronaut exerts on the wall is equal and opposite to the force the wall exerts on the astronaut. Therefore, the net force on the space station is zero. However, the astronaut's push does impart a momentum on the space station, causing it to move in the opposite direction with the same momentum. The change in velocity of the space station can be calculated using the equation: 
Δv = (push force) / (mass of space station)
Δv = (m*a) / (m) = a
where m is the mass of the space station and a is the acceleration of the astronaut. Therefore, the answer is the same as the astronaut's acceleration: 5.8 × 10^-14 m/s^2.

The International Space Station Has a Mass of 1