A spaceship with a thruster - one body, one force

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dc.creatorDudley, Scott C.
dc.creatorSerna, Mario A.
dc.date2004-06-29
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T09:43:39Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T09:43:39Z
dc.descriptionA spaceship with one thruster producing a constant magnitude force is analyzed for various initial conditions. This elementary problem, with one object acted upon by one force, has value as a challenge to one's physical intuition and in demonstrating the benefits and limitations of dimensional analysis. In addition, the problem can serve to introduce a student to special functions, provide a mechanical model for Fresnel integrals and the associated Cornu spiral, or be used as an example in a numerical methods course. The problem has some interesting and perhaps unexpected features.
dc.description8 pages, 12 figures. Submitted to the American Journal of Physics. After it is published, it will be found at http://scitation.aip.org/ajp
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0406150
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0406150
dc.identifierAm J Phys., Vol 73, No. 6, June 2005, pg 500-506
dc.identifierdoi:10.1119/1.1858451
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/162641
dc.subjectPhysics Education
dc.titleA spaceship with a thruster - one body, one force
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