If a rocket with a mass of 2900 tons vertically accelerates at a rate of # 2/9 m/s^2#, how much power will the rocket have to exert to maintain its acceleration at 5 seconds?

1 Answer
Mar 14, 2018

The power is #=32.29MW#

Explanation:

The mass of the rocket is #m=2900000kg#

The acceleration of the rocket is #a=2/9ms^-2#

The acceleration due to gravity is #=9.8ms^-2#

According to Newton's second Law, the net force on the rocket is

#F=m(a+g)=2900000*(9.8+2/9)=29064444N#

Assuming that the initial velocity of the rocket is #u=0ms^-1#

The velocity after #t=5s# is

#v=u+at=0+2/9*5=1.11ms^-1#

The power is

#P=Fv=29064444*1.11=32293827W=32.29MW#