An astronaut on a space walk floats a little too far away
from the space station. Without air to push against, he
cannot paddle back. However, the astronaut is holding a
hammer. Explain how the astronaut could use the
hammer to move and why this will get him back to the
space station.

The astronaut can throw the hammer in a direction away from the space station. While he is holding the hammer, the total momentum of the astronaut and hammer is 0 kg • m/s. According to the law of conservation of momentum, the total momentum after he throws the hammer must still be 0 kg • m/s. In order for momentum to be conserved, the astronaut will have to move in the opposite direction of the hammer, which will be toward the space station.

edge 2020

An astronaut on a space walk floats a little too far away from the space station. Without air to push against, he cannot paddle back. However, the astronaut is holding a hammer. Explain how the astronaut could use the hammer to move and why this will get him back to the space station.

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An astronaut on a space walk floats a little too far away
from the space station. Without air to push against, he
cannot paddle back. However, the astronaut is holding a
hammer. Explain how the astronaut could use the
hammer to move and why this will get him back to the
space station.