A possible means of space flight is to place a perfectly reflecting aluminized sheet into orbit around the Earth and then use the light from the Sun to push this "solar sail." Suppose a sail of area A = 5.20 ✕ 105 m2 and mass m = 6,800 kg is placed in orbit facing the Sun. Ignore all gravitational effects and assume a solar intensity of 1,370 W/m2.(a)What force (in N) is exerted on the sail? (Enter the magnitude.) N(b)What is the sail's acceleration? (Enter the magnitude in µm/s2.) µm/s2(c)Assuming the acceleration calculated in part (b) remains constant, find the time interval (in days) required for the sail to reach the Moon, 3.84 ✕ 108 m away, starting from rest at the Earth. days(d)What If? If the solar sail were initially in Earth orbit at an altitude of 300 km, show that a sail of this mass density could not escape Earth's gravitational pull regardless of size. (Calculate the magnitude of the gravitational field in m/s2.) m/s2(e)What would the mass density (in kg/m2) of the solar sail have to be for the solar sail to attain the same initial acceleration as that in part (b)? kg/m2 A possible means of space flight is to place a perfectly reflecting aluminized sheet into orbit around the Earth and then usethe light from the Sun to push this "solar sail." Suppose a sail of area A = 5.20 x 105 m2 and mass m = 6,800 kg is placedin orbit facing the Sun. Ignore all gravitational effects and assume a solar intensity of 1,370 w/m2.(a) What force (in N) is exerted on the sail? (Enter the magnitude.)N(b) What is the sail's acceleration? (Enter the magnitude in um/s2.)| um/s?(c) Assuming the acceleration calculated in part (b) remains constant, find the time interval (in days) required for the sailto reach the Moon, 3.84 x 10° m away, starting from rest at the Earth.days(d) What If? If the solar sail were initially in Earth orbit at an altitude of 300 km, show that a sail of this mass densitycould not escape Earth's gravitational pull regardless of size. (Calculate the magnitude of the gravitational field inm/s?.)m/s?(e) What would the mass density (in kg/m2) of the solar sail have to be for the solar sail to attain the same initialacceleration as that in part (b)?kg/m2

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Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations and Connections

1st Edition

ISBN:9781133939146

Author:Katz, Debora M.

Publisher:Katz, Debora M.

Chapter34: Maxwell’s Equations And Electromagnetic Waves

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 32PQ

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A possible means of space flight is to place a perfectly reflecting aluminized sheet into orbit around the Earth and then use the light from the Sun to push this "solar sail." Suppose a sail of area A = 5.20 ✕ 10⁵ m² and mass m = 6,800 kg is placed in orbit facing the Sun. Ignore all gravitational effects and assume a solar intensity of 1,370 W/m².

(a)

What force (in N) is exerted on the sail? (Enter the magnitude.)

(b)

What is the sail's acceleration? (Enter the magnitude in µm/s².)

µm/s²

(c)

Assuming the acceleration calculated in part (b) remains constant, find the time interval (in days) required for the sail to reach the Moon, 3.84 ✕ 10⁸ m away, starting from rest at the Earth.

days

(d)

What If? If the solar sail were initially in Earth orbit at an altitude of 300 km, show that a sail of this mass density could not escape Earth's gravitational pull regardless of size. (Calculate the magnitude of the gravitational field in m/s².)

m/s²

(e)

What would the mass density (in kg/m²) of the solar sail have to be for the solar sail to attain the same initial acceleration as that in part (b)?

kg/m²

A possible means of space flight is to place a perfectly reflecting aluminized sheet into orbit around the Earth and then use
the light from the Sun to push this "solar sail." Suppose a sail of area A = 5.20 x 105 m2 and mass m = 6,800 kg is placed
in orbit facing the Sun. Ignore all gravitational effects and assume a solar intensity of 1,370 w/m2.
(a) What force (in N) is exerted on the sail? (Enter the magnitude.)
N
(b) What is the sail's acceleration? (Enter the magnitude in um/s2.)
| um/s?
(c) Assuming the acceleration calculated in part (b) remains constant, find the time interval (in days) required for the sail
to reach the Moon, 3.84 x 10° m away, starting from rest at the Earth.
days
(d) What If? If the solar sail were initially in Earth orbit at an altitude of 300 km, show that a sail of this mass density
could not escape Earth's gravitational pull regardless of size. (Calculate the magnitude of the gravitational field in
m/s?.)
m/s?
(e) What would the mass density (in kg/m2) of the solar sail have to be for the solar sail to attain the same initial
acceleration as that in part (b)?
kg/m2

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