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.

Question

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.

(1 point)
• The astronaut cannot get back to her spaceship.
• The astronaut can release air from the device in a direction that points towards the spaceship.
• The astronaut can release air from the device in a direction that points away from the spaceship.
• The astronaut can release air from the device in all directions around her in the hopes that she will move towards the spaceship.

Answer 1

The astronaut can release air from the device in a direction that points away from the spaceship. According to Newton's Third Law of Motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. By releasing jets of air in a direction opposite to the spaceship, the astronaut will experience a reactive force pushing her towards the spaceship. This is similar to how a rocket propels itself forward by expelling gases in the opposite direction. Therefore, with the help of the tool belt's device, the astronaut can use the jets of air to propel herself towards the spaceship and eventually get back to it.