Question
An astronaut is floating a few feet away from the space station in space. Which would create a net force on them that would push them back to the space station?(1 point)
Responses
Use their arms and hands in a swimming motion as if they are going through water.
Use their arms and hands in a swimming motion as if they are going through water.
Spin to align their feet toward the space station so gravity will pull them toward it.
Spin to align their feet toward the space station so gravity will pull them toward it.
Throw an object that they are carrying in the opposite direction to where they want to move.
Throw an object that they are carrying in the opposite direction to where they want to move.
Collapse their body, bringing arms and legs in close, then expand toward the space station, like a jump
Responses
Use their arms and hands in a swimming motion as if they are going through water.
Use their arms and hands in a swimming motion as if they are going through water.
Spin to align their feet toward the space station so gravity will pull them toward it.
Spin to align their feet toward the space station so gravity will pull them toward it.
Throw an object that they are carrying in the opposite direction to where they want to move.
Throw an object that they are carrying in the opposite direction to where they want to move.
Collapse their body, bringing arms and legs in close, then expand toward the space station, like a jump
Answers
GPT-5 mini
Throw an object that they are carrying in the opposite direction to where they want to move.
Reason: by Newton’s third law (conservation of momentum) throwing the object gives it momentum away from the station and gives the astronaut an equal-and-opposite momentum toward the station. The other actions only involve internal forces (or reorientation) and won’t change the astronaut’s center-of-mass motion in empty space.
Reason: by Newton’s third law (conservation of momentum) throwing the object gives it momentum away from the station and gives the astronaut an equal-and-opposite momentum toward the station. The other actions only involve internal forces (or reorientation) and won’t change the astronaut’s center-of-mass motion in empty space.