Apossible means of space flight is to place a perfectly reflectingaluminized sheet into orbit around the earth and then use the lightfrom the sun to push this "solar sail." suppose a sail of area5.00 105 m2 and mass 6300 kg is placed in orbit facing the sun.

(a) what force is exerted on the sail?
n
(b) what is the sail's acceleration?
m/s2
(c) what time interval is required for the sail to reach the moon,3.84 multiplied by 108 maway? ignore all gravitational effects, assume the accelerationcalculated in part (b) remains constant, and assume a solarintensity of 1370 w/m2.
days

a)   F = 4.57 N, b)  a = 0.725 m / s² , c)  t = 3,254 10⁴ s

Explanation:

a) for this problem let's start by using the radiation pressure for a reflective surface

       P = 2 S / c

The definition of pressure is

       P = F / A

       F / A = 2S / c

       F = 2 S A / c

        F = 2 1370 5.00 105/3 108

        F = 4.57 N

b) The acceleration can be calculated with Newton's second law

        F = m a

        a = F / m

        a = 4.57 / 6300

        a = 0.725 m / s²

c) the time to reach the Moon, suppose the trip is in a straight line, therefore the initial speed towards the Moon is zero

       y = vo t + ½ a t²

       y = ½ a t²

       t = √ 2y / a

       t = √ (2 3.84 10⁸ /0.725)

       t = 3,254 10⁴ s