Moving a boat you're standing on

If you wait long enough (and the altitude is high enough to avoid differential atmospheric drag effects) you will return to the spacecraft due to the gravitational attraction between yourself and the spacecraft.

John

Or you end up orbiting it, forever just out of reach.

Empty your pockets and throw the contents away from the spacecraft?

That would do it. Perhaps all space suits should have an emergency rock or two sewn into the arms.

Get out your Swiss Army knife and make a tiny hole in one fingertip. Point your finger away from your space ship. Hope your air supply lasts out.

Tim

Brian Gaff \(Sofa\) snipped-for-privacy@bluey> Maybe one of those bi carb powered boat might work on a larger standard of

Wait for one of Elon Musks internet satellites to approach and hitch a lift

Ok, think of a long sledge in snow. It has a little friction, but will slide if pushed hard enough. So, you gently walk from one end to the other, accelerating slowly, then stop suddenly. Only the sudden stop overcomes the friction between the sledge and the snow, moving it forwards.

But can you do this on water?

I had a brainfart. Momentum includes velocity, not just mass. I was thinking you couldn't increase the mass when lighting it, but the explosive force increases the velocity of the expelled gas, hence you in the other direction.

I'm 46 you know.

I thought it was an obvious question.

Imagine one or use a friend's house.

How?

No, I overestimated the intelligence of people in here.

Then use your imagination, or try the lawn.

But since space has no friction, as you accelerated slowly, you'd impart the same change in momentum as you did when you stopped.

Sure, you'd end up having moved the ship a little one way, but now you're at the other end of it and cannot repeat the exercise.

I do not troll, I asked a simple question, but the smartarses answered a different question.

There must be grass somewhere.

FFS, do you have anything soft in your world? Is your bed made of concrete?

When you moved back to the start, you'd undo what you did. Look up the conservation of momentum. Since there's no planet you can impart it to, the total of you and the spaceship cannot change momentum unless something leaves it.

Sorry I didn't make it clear enough for the retards in the class.

My question has not yet been answered.

It's not different, it was adjusted to make it easier for you to understand.

I'm not paid to teach retards, but here goes.

I originally said "Can you move a boat while standing on it without touching the water? Consider friction. Think about the same on something with wheels, or a piece of furniture without."

So, you're standing on a boat. I've forbidden you from paddling with your hands. I've even hinted at my query by talking about friction, and pieces of furniture. Yet idiots start talking about the engine. What engine? I never said it was powered. Don't make assumptions.

You're repeating yourself.

You're repeating yourself.

Newsgroups reinstated.

I didn't think I had to spell it out to you. If you weren't sure of the details, all you had to do was ask.

Do you have an AOL account?

Sorry if I confused you simpletons with an adult question.

You are moving the earth the other way by an infinitesimal amount. But in a boat on water, the boat moves. But once you reach the end of the boat, you can't do it any more.