Variable mass problems

A rocket, with initial mass 1500 kg, including 600 kg of fuel, is launched vertically upwards from rest. The rocket burns fuel at a rate of 15 kg s\(^{-1}\) and the burnt fuel is ejected vertically downwards with a speed of 1000 m s\(^{-1}\) relative to the rocket. At time \(t\) seconds after launch \((t \leqslant 40)\) the rocket has mass \(m\) kg and velocity \(v\) m s\(^{-1}\).

1. Show that $$\frac{dv}{dt} + \frac{1000}{m}\frac{dm}{dt} = -9.8$$ [5]
2. Find \(v\) at time \(t\), \(0 \leqslant t \leqslant 40\) [5]

A raindrop falls vertically under gravity through a cloud. In a model of the motion the raindrop is assumed to be spherical at all times and the cloud is assumed to consist of stationary water particles. At time \(t = 0\), the raindrop is at rest and has radius \(a\). As the raindrop falls, water particles from the cloud condense onto it and the radius of the raindrop is assumed to increase at a constant rate \(\lambda\). At time \(t\) the speed of the raindrop is \(v\).

1. Show that $$\frac{dv}{dt} + \frac{3\lambda v}{(\lambda t + a)} = g.$$ [8]

1. Find the speed of the raindrop when its radius is \(3a\). [7]

A spaceship is moving in a straight line in deep space and needs to increase its speed. This is done by ejecting fuel backwards from the spaceship at a constant speed \(c\) relative to the spaceship. When the speed of the spaceship is \(v\), its mass is \(m\).

1. Show that, while the spaceship is ejecting fuel, $$\frac{dv}{dm} = -\frac{c}{m}.$$ [5]

The initial mass of the spaceship is \(m_0\) and at time \(t\) the mass of the spaceship is given by \(m = m_0(1 - kt)\), where \(k\) is a positive constant.

1. Find the acceleration of the spaceship at time \(t\). [4]

1 A rocket in deep space starts from rest and moves in a straight line. The initial mass of the rocket is \(m _ { 0 }\) and the propulsion system ejects matter at a constant mass rate \(k\) with constant speed \(u\) relative to the rocket. At time \(t\) the speed of the rocket is \(v\).

1. Show that while mass is being ejected from the rocket, \(\left( m _ { 0 } - k t \right) \frac { \mathrm { d } v } { \mathrm {~d} t } = u k\).
2. Hence find an expression for \(v\) in terms of \(t\).
3. Find the speed of the rocket when its mass is \(\frac { 1 } { 3 } m _ { 0 }\).

5. A spaceship is moving in deep space with no external forces acting on it. Initially it has total mass \(M\) and is moving with speed \(V\). The spaceship reduces its speed to \(\frac { 2 } { 3 } V\) by ejecting fuel from its front end with a speed of \(c\) relative to itself and in the same direction as its own motion. Find the mass of fuel ejected.
(11 marks)

A rocket propels itself by its engine ejecting burnt fuel. Initially the rocket has total mass \(M\), of which a mass \(kM\), \(k < 1\), is fuel. The rocket is at rest when its engine is started. The burnt fuel is ejected with constant speed \(c\), relative to the rocket, in a direction opposite to that of the rocket's motion. Assuming that there are no external forces, find the speed of the rocket when all its fuel has been burnt. [7]

1 An empty railway truck of mass \(m _ { 0 }\) is moving along a straight horizontal track at speed \(v _ { 0 }\). The point P is at the front of the truck. The horizontal forces on the truck are negligible. As P passes a fixed point O , sand starts to fall vertically into the truck at a constant mass rate \(k\). At time \(t\) after P passes O the speed of the truck is \(v\) and \(\mathrm { OP } = x\).

1. Find an expression for \(v\) in terms of \(m _ { 0 } , v _ { 0 } , k\) and \(t\), and show that \(x = \frac { m _ { 0 } v _ { 0 } } { k } \ln \left( 1 + \frac { k t } { m _ { 0 } } \right)\).
2. Find the speed of the truck and the distance OP when the mass of sand in the truck is \(2 m _ { 0 }\).

1. A spacecraft is moving in a straight line in deep space. The spacecraft moves by ejecting burnt fuel backwards at a constant speed of \(2000 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) relative to the spacecraft. The burnt fuel is ejected at a constant rate of \(c \mathrm {~kg} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). At time \(t\) seconds the total mass of the spacecraft, including fuel, is \(m \mathrm {~kg}\) and the speed of the spacecraft is \(v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\).
   1. Show that, while the spacecraft is ejecting burnt fuel,
   $$m \frac { \mathrm {~d} v } { \mathrm {~d} t } = 2000 c$$ At time \(t = 0\), the mass of the spacecraft is \(M _ { 0 } \mathrm {~kg}\) and the speed of the spacecraft is \(2000 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). When \(t = 50\), the spacecraft is still ejecting burnt fuel and its speed is \(6000 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\).
2. Find \(c\) in terms of \(M _ { 0 }\).