A student of mass stands on a stationary cart of mass placed on a smooth horizontal track
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Laws of Motion · Laws of Motion
Problem
A student of mass 60kg stands on a stationary cart of mass 30kg placed on a smooth horizontal track. The student throws a 2.0kg medicine ball horizontally with a speed of 10m s−1 relative to the ground.
(a) Calculate the speed of the cart (together with the student) immediately after the ball leaves the student’s hands.
(b) Compute the kinetic energy gained by the cart–student system and compare it with the kinetic energy of the thrown ball. Express the comparison as a percentage of the ball’s kinetic energy.