You are on an interstellar mission from the Earth to the 8.7 light-years distant star Sirius. Your spaceship can travel with 70% the speed of light and has a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 6 m at the front surface and a length of 25 m. You have to cross the interstellar medium with an approximated density of 1 hydrogen atom/m3 . (a) Calculate the time it takes your spaceship to reach Sirius. (b) Determine the mass of interstellar gas that collides with your spaceship during the mission.

Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems
5th Edition
ISBN:9780534408961
Author:Stephen T. Thornton, Jerry B. Marion
Publisher:Stephen T. Thornton, Jerry B. Marion
Chapter9: Dynamics Of A System Of Particles
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 9.56P
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You are on an interstellar mission from the Earth to the 8.7 light-years distant star Sirius. Your spaceship can travel with 70% the speed of light and has a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 6 m at the front surface and a length of 25 m. You have to cross the interstellar medium with an
approximated density of 1 hydrogen atom/m3
.
(a) Calculate the time it takes your spaceship to reach Sirius.
(b) Determine the mass of interstellar gas that collides with your spaceship during the mission.

Because you are moving at an enormous speed, your mission from the previous will be influenced by the effects of time dilation described by special relativity: Your spaceship
launches in June 2020 and returns back to Earth directly after arriving at Sirius.

(c) How many years will have passed from your perspective?
(d) At which Earth date (year and month) will you arrive back to Earth?

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