Question

Two fat astronauts each of mass 120 kg are travelling in a closed spaceship moving at a speed of 15 km/s in the outer space far removed from all other material objects. The total mass of the spaceship and its contents including the astronauts is 660 kg. If the astronauts do slimming exercise and thereby reduce their masses to 90 kg each, with what velocity will the spaceship move?

Answer 1

According to the question, the spaceship is removed from all other material objects and kept totally isolated from the surroundings. Thus, the mass loss by astronauts couldn't slip away from the spaceship. Therefore, the total mass of the spaceship remains unchanged and so does its velocity.

Hence, the spaceship moves with the speed of 15 km/s.