Anasa explorer spacecraft with a mass of 1,000 kg takes off in a positive direction from a stationary asteroid. if the velocity of the spacecraft is 250 m/s and the asteroid is pushed back –25 m/s, what is the mass of the asteroid? assume there is no net force on the system.

10000 kg

Explanation:

The momentum is given by the following equation:  

(1)  

Where:  

is the mass of the object  

is the velocity of the object

Now, in this case and according the conservation of momentum:

  (2)  

Where:

is the mass of the spacecraft

is the mass of the asteroid

is the initial velocity of the spacecraft

is the initial velocity of the asteroid (because we are told the asteroid is stationary, as the spacracft is on the sateroid it remains stationary as well)

is the final velocity of the spacecraft

is the final velocity of the asteroid

Rewritting (2):

  (3)  

  (4)  

Finding :

This is the mass of the asteroid

0.55x745.7j and a calculator