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AP Physics C: Mechanics
4.2 Change in Momentum and Impulse
IntermediateMCQMathematical22.6k
A cylindrical rocket of mass m moving to the right along a horizontal axis in deep space. A stream of exhaust gas is expelled to the left behind the rocket with exhaust speed u relative to the rocket. The rocket's velocity vector points to the right, labeled v. A dashed horizontal line indicates the line of motion. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.
Rocket in zero-gravity space ejecting exhaust gas backward.
A rocket in deep space starts from rest at time \(t = 0\) with an initial mass \(M_0\). The rocket engine burns fuel at a constant mass rate \(R = -\dfrac{dm}{dt}\) and expels exhaust gas at a constant speed \(u\) relative to the rocket. Assuming no external forces act on the system, which of the following expressions correctly gives the speed \(v(t)\) of the rocket as a function of time \(t\) for \(t < \dfrac{M_0}{R}\)?

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