Figure 12 is a diagram showing a rocket that is sent into space to try and change the path of a small asteroid - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 9 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 9
Figure 12 is a diagram showing a rocket that is sent into space to try and change the path of a small asteroid.
(i) The rocket has a mass of 5.5 × 10⁶ kg and is tra... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Figure 12 is a diagram showing a rocket that is sent into space to try and change the path of a small asteroid - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 9 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Calculate the momentum of the rocket in kg m/s
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Answer
To calculate the momentum (p) of the rocket, we will use the formula:
p=m×v
Where:
Mass (m) = 5.5 × 10⁶ kg
Velocity (v) = 14 km/s = 14,000 m/s (since 1 km = 1000 m)
Substituting the values into the formula:
p=5.5×106extkg×14,000extm/s
Calculating:
p=5.5×106×1.4×104=7.7×109extkgm/s
Thus, the correct option for the momentum of the rocket is C. 7.7 × 10⁹ kg m/s.
Step 2
Calculate the speed of the asteroid
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Answer
To find the speed of the asteroid, we can use the formula:
v=mp
Where:
Momentum (p) = 7.5 × 10⁶ kg m/s
Mass (m) = 8.0 × 10⁶ kg
Substituting the values:
v=8.0×1067.5×106
Calculating:
v=0.9375extm/s
Rounding the result:
v≈9.4×103extm/s
Thus, the speed of the asteroid is approximately 9.4 × 10³ m/s.