Two adjacent students stand on stationary skateboards, face each other, and push apart. The skateboarder on the left weighs 65 kg, the one on the right is 85 kg. If the lighter skateboarder moves at 3.2 m/s, determine the speed and direction of the heavier skateboarder.

Respuesta :

As we know that two skateboarder will push each other so there is no external force on this system

Hence we can use momentum conservation here

[tex]m_1v_{1i} + m_2v_{2i} = m_1v_{1f} + m_2v_{2f}[/tex]

[tex] 0 + 0 = (65)(3.2) + 85(v)[/tex]

now we have

[tex]0 = 208 + 85 v[/tex]

[tex]v = - 2.45 m/s[/tex]

so the heavy skateboarder will move off with speed 2.45 m/s in the opposite direction

Conservation of linear momentum accounts for the direction of motion participating objects. The heavy skateboarder will move off with a speed of 2.45 m/s in the opposite direction.

What is the conservation of linear momentum?

As per the conservation of linear momentum, "When two objects approach each other, then the momentum before the collision is equal to the momentum after the collision.

The mass of the left skateboarder is m = 65 kg.

The mass of the right skateboarder is m' = 85 kg.

The speed of lighter skateboarder is, v = 3.2 m/s.

Applying the conservation of linear momentum as,

mu + m'u' = mv + m'v'

u and u' are the initial velocities of each skateboarder. Similarly, v and v' are their final velocities.

Solving as,

Since skateboarders are at rest initial, u = u' = 0.

m(0) + m'(0) = 65 × 3.2 + (85 × v)

v = -2.45 m/s

Thus, we can conclude that the heavy skateboarder will move off with a speed of 2.45 m/s in the opposite direction.

Learn more about the conservation of linear momentum here:

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