Explosions in one dimension: Two ice skaters push off against one another starting from a stationary position. The 45.0-kg skater acquires a speed of 0.375 m/s. What speed does the 60.0-kg skater acquire? Assume that any other unbalanced forces during the collision are negligible.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the law of conservation of momentum, the total momentum before and after the collision must be equal. Let the velocity of the 60.0-kg skater be v. Then, using the conservation of momentum:

(45.0 kg) (0.375 m/s) + (60.0 kg) (0 m/s) = (45.0 kg) (0 m/s) + (60.0 kg) (v)

Solving for v gives v = 0.281 m/s. Therefore, the answer is B.

Explosions in One Dimension: Two Ice Skaters Push Off Against