juan and kathleen bought model rocket kits. they built identical rockets with identical engines. juan however glued small pieces of a broken bicycle reflector to his rocket to make it more visible in the sky.
Part a: if everything is the same on both rockets except for the reflector pieces which rocket will travel higher when they are launched at the exact time.
part b: explain why the rocket selected in part a would travel higher
2007-02-12 10:03:39 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The extra weight of the bicycle reflector should cause the rocket to accelerate more slowly and reach a lower altitude.
2007-02-12 10:09:47 · answer #1 · answered by rscanner 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kathleen's rocket will go higher, because it weighs less.
According to Newton's second law:
force = mass * acceleration
Since force (the rocket motor) is the same in both cases but mass is higher in Juan's rocket, then to balance the equation Juan's rocket must have less acceleration. Therefore it will not travel as fast or as high before burnout.
2007-02-12 18:08:05 · answer #2 · answered by Keith P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Juan forgot to take the refector off his bike and now he has to walk to school. Kathleen never saw her rocket again, it went so high. If she had put a reflector on it she might have spotted it but alas she neglected to do that so- Hah.
2007-02-12 18:07:50 · answer #3 · answered by Spotlight 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
juan stold a stop sign while crossing the border and put it on the bike he stold while in LA. The rocket he tried to launch never got off the ground because it weghed 893 lbs with all of Juans relatives, 6 of which were pregnant and need to get to a hospital for free medical care at the expense of Kathleen, who was mugged and had her rocket stolen and sold to the coyotes that got them into the US.
2007-02-12 21:38:49 · answer #4 · answered by Pat G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kathleen's will travel higher because Juan's has added drag (air friction) and mass (weight). The larger and larger the reflectors, the greater these factors.
2007-02-12 18:16:05 · answer #5 · answered by James W 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, you didn't give the details on rocket size, or engine size.
If the weight is minimal and no drag is presented by the reflector, then it should be minimal in height attained.
BUT common physics will tell you any additional weight or drag will greatly affect altitude. Plus all commercial engines are NOT equal.
2007-02-12 18:10:13 · answer #6 · answered by Bigdog 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
rocket without reflectors travels higher since it has less weight....
2007-02-12 18:07:49 · answer #7 · answered by nico 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋