The Ingenious Solution: Using Newton's Third Law in Space

An astronaut on a space walk discovers that his jet pack no longer works, leaving him stranded 50 m from the spacecraft.

An astronaut facing such a dire situation might initially feel helpless. However, by harnessing the principles of physics, specifically Newton's Third Law of Motion, there is still a way for the astronaut to return to safety.

If the jet pack is removable, explain how the astronaut can still use it to return to the ship.

Final answer: The astronaut can use Newton's Third Law of Motion to return to his ship by throwing his jet pack away from the ship; the reactive force will push him back towards the ship.

Explanation: The astronaut could make use of Newton's Third Law of Motion to return to the ship. This law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Here, if the astronaut throws the jet pack away from the ship, he will be pushed towards the ship due to the reaction force. This implies that the astronaut and the jet pack will move in opposite directions. The amount of force exerted on the astronaut will be equal to but in the opposite direction of the force with which the jet pack was thrown. Given the astronaut's much larger mass, his velocity will be less than that of the jet pack but just enough to get him back to the ship.

By effectively utilizing this concept, the astronaut can propel himself towards the spacecraft and reach safety despite the malfunction of his jet pack. This ingenious use of physics showcases the importance of understanding scientific principles in challenging scenarios.