Conservation of momentum: You are standing on a skateboard, initially at rest. A friend throws a very heavy ball towards you. You can either catch the object or deflect the object back towards your friend (such that it moves away from you with the same speed as it was originally thrown). What should you do in order to MINIMIZE your speed on the skateboard?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Catching the ball will minimize your speed because the momentum is shared between you and the ball, whereas deflecting it back transfers more momentum to you, increasing your speed.

Conservation of Momentum: You Are Standing on a Skateboard, Initially