Understanding the Concepts
* Force and Acceleration: Newton's Second Law of Motion states that force (F) equals mass (m) times acceleration (a): F = ma. This means we can find the acceleration of the rocket.
* Acceleration and Velocity: Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. If we know the acceleration and the time over which it acts, we can find the final velocity.
Calculations
1. Calculate Acceleration:
* F = 5 * 10^5 N (Newtons)
* m = 2 * 10^4 kg
* a = F / m = (5 * 10^5 N) / (2 * 10^4 kg) = 25 m/s²
2. Calculate Final Velocity:
* a = 25 m/s²
* t = 20 s
* v = u + at (where 'u' is the initial velocity. Assuming the rocket starts from rest, u = 0)
* v = 0 + (25 m/s²)(20 s) = 500 m/s
Answer: The rocket attains a velocity of 500 m/s at the end of 20 seconds.
