An astronaut is stranded outside her spaceship. She is wearing a tool belt that contains a device that releases jets of air. Can the astronaut get back to her spaceship? Explain how.
A. The astronaut can release air from the device in all directions around her in the hopes that she will move towards the spaceship.
B. The astronaut can release air from the device in a direction that points towards the spaceship.
C. The astronaut can release air from the device in a direction that points away from the spaceship.
D. The astronaut cannot get back into the spaceship
The correct answer is B. The astronaut can release air from the device in a direction that points towards the spaceship.
When the astronaut releases air in a direction that points towards the spaceship, according to Newton's Third Law of Motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This means that as the astronaut releases jets of air towards the spaceship, she will experience a push in the opposite direction, propelling her towards the spaceship. By continuously releasing jets of air in this manner, the astronaut can gradually move closer to the spaceship and eventually reach it.