Question

Problem 3: Assume that an astronaut is stranded in space 12.0 m from their spaceship and at they are at rest relative to the spaceship (this is terrifying, try not to empathize). Knowing that their flashlight makes a directed beam of light with intensity 950 W/m2 they turn it on and shine the light directly away from the spacecraft so that it pushes them towards it. If the radius of the light beam is 3.8 cm and the astronaut and their spacesuit have a combined mass of 95 kg, how much time will it take you to reach your spacecraft? Would it have been better to just throw the flashlight? Assume the flashlight has a mass of 0.40 kg and they throw it with a speed of 5.2 m/s. (10 points) Potentially useful equations: light pressure=I_ave/c, pressure is force per unit area, and basic kinematics equation x = x₀ + v₀t + 1/2 at² .

Answer 1

formula was used.