Answer Happy

Need to find speed of rocket as a function of time
4.26 Rocket in interstellar cloud A cylindrical rocket of diameter 2R and mass M is coasting through empty space with speed vo when it encounters an in- terstellar cloud. The number density of particles in the cloud is N particles/mº. Each particle has mass m « M, and they are initially at rest. (a) Assume that each cloud particle bounces off the rocket elastically, and that the collisions are so frequent they can be treated as continuous. Prove that the retarding force has the form bv2, and determine b. Assume that the front cone of the rocket subtends angle a = A/2, as shown. (b) Find the speed of the rocket in the cloud. VO