Problem) Space ship Papillon is travelling through space.

The motion of the spacecraft is generated by

mechanical force by photons (Particle of lights) colliding on its sail and being reflected back. Assume that light is
illuminated uniformly in area and time by intensity I(power of light at unit time and area)normal to the Sail. The
area of sail is given by A, mass of the spaceship is given as M.

Derive acceleration of the spaceship.

Note that the momentum of a single photon(P) is given as photon energy(E) divided by speed of light(c)

P=E/c

Sol)

The intensity of the light is defined as incoming energy at unit time and unit area by light. Which is

I=NE

Here, N is number of incoming photons per unit time and unit area.

And E is energy of a single photon. Thus, momentum of a single photon P is given as

P=E/c=I/Nc

So the momentum conservation equation can be written as below

MV(t)+NP dt = MV(t+dt)- NP dt

V(t) indicates speed of space ship at time t. NP dt and -NP dt represents momentum of photon before and
after the collision respectively.

Thus, acceleration is

a= dV/dt = [V(t+dt)-V(t)]/dt = 2NP/M

=2I/Mc