You are on an interstellar mission from the Earth to the 8.7 light-years distant star Sirius. Your spaceship can travel with 70% the speed of light and has a cylindrical shape with a diameter of

6 m at the front surface and a length of 25 m. You have to cross the interstellar medium with an

approximated density of 1 hydrogen atom/m3

.

(a) Calculate the time it takes your spaceship to reach Sirius.

(b) Determine the mass of interstellar gas that collides with your spaceship during the mission.

Note: Use 1.673 × 10−27 kg as proton mass.

(a) Calculate the time it takes your spaceship to reach Sirius.

(b) Determine the mass of interstellar gas that collides with your spaceship during the mission

Explanation:

1.673 × 10−27 kg as proton mass

6 m at the front surface and a length of 25 m

cross the interstellar medium with an approximated density of 1 hydrogen atom/m3

spaceship can travel with 70% the speed of light

speed of the light: 299,792,458 m/s

what is the speed of a softball that travels 20m in 2secs

speed = 20/2 = 10 m/s

t = 1/400 h   ⇔ 0.0025 h ⇔ 9s ⇔ 0.15 m

any of the answers are correct.