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sb13
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Homework Statement
Sunjamming. A “sun yacht” is a spacecraft with a large sail that is pushed by sunlight. Although such a push is tiny in everyday circumstances, it can be large enough to send the spacecraft outward from the Sun on a cost-free but slow trip. Suppose that the spacecraft has a mass of 780 kg and receives a push of 23 N. (a) What is the magnitude of the resulting acceleration? If the craft starts from rest, (b) how far will it travel in 1 day and (c) how fast will it then be moving?
Homework Equations
F= ma
And the equations for motion with constant acceleration:
v=vo+at
x-xo= vot+ 1/2at^2
v^2= vo^2+2a(x-xo)
x-xo= 1/2(vo+v)t
x-xo=vt-1/2at^2
The Attempt at a Solution
I understand how to solve for the magnitude of acceleration in (a)
a= F/m = 23/780 =0.029487 m/s^2
But for the (b), I don't know how I would find the meters that the spacecraft travels in one day if all I have is acceleration which does have time units but they are squared, and then I would use one of the constant acceleration equations, but I need more information.
If I were to figure out the answer to (b) which is the time (t), then I think I could just plug it into one of those equations and easily get the velocity for (c).
Could someone help me with part (b) please?
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