Two figure skaters stand motionless on nearly frictionless ice
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Laws of Motion · Laws of Motion
Problem
Two figure skaters stand motionless on nearly frictionless ice, facing each other. Skater 1 has mass 60kg, and Skater 2 has mass 75kg. They place their palms together and push directly away from each other. During the push, Skater 1 experiences a constant force of 120N for 0.60s. After the push ends, the skaters glide without further interaction.
(a) Identify a choice of system for which the linear momentum vector is conserved during the 0.60s pushing interval. Explain your reasoning with reference to forces acting on that system.
(b) Calculate the magnitude and direction of each skater’s velocity immediately after the push ends.
(c) Determine the total linear momentum of the chosen system after the push. Compare it quantitatively with the total momentum before the push and comment on any difference.