A small weather rocket weighs 20 N. (a) What is the rocket's mass? (b) The rocket fires its engine, if the rocket has a thrust of 109.2 N, and the friction from the air (drag force) is 37.5 N, find the net force? (c) What is the acceleration on the rocket?
(a) The mass of the rocket can be calculated using the formula:
Weight = mass x gravitational acceleration
20 N = mass x 9.81 m/s^2
mass = 20 N / 9.81 m/s^2
mass = 2.04 kg
(b) The net force on the rocket can be calculated by subtracting the drag force from the thrust:
Net force = Thrust - Drag force
Net force = 109.2 N - 37.5 N
Net force = 71.7 N
(c) The acceleration of the rocket can be calculated using Newton's second law:
Net force = mass x acceleration
71.7 N = 2.04 kg x acceleration
acceleration = 71.7 N / 2.04 kg
acceleration ≈ 35.15 m/s^2
Therefore, the acceleration on the rocket is approximately 35.15 m/s^2.