Question

Two swimmers relax close together on air mattresses in a pool. One of the swimmers has a mass of 48kg, and the other has a mass of 55kg. If the swimmers push away from each other, which of the following is true?

1) The swimmer with a mass of 48kg will move away faster
2) The swimmer with a mass of 55kg will move away faster
3) Both swimmers will move away at the same speed
4) The speed at which the swimmers move away from each other depends on their initial velocities

Answer 1

When the two swimmers push away from each other, the one with the lower mass of 48kg will move away faster due to Newton's second law, implying that acceleration is inversely proportional to mass for a constant force.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the two swimmers push away from each other, the outcome adheres to Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Given that the forces they exert on each other are equal and opposite, the swimmer with the lower mass of 48kg will accelerate faster than the swimmer with the higher mass of 55kg. This is because acceleration is inversely proportional to mass when force is constant, as described by Newton's second law of motion, F = ma. Thus, answer 1) The swimmer with a mass of 48kg will move away faster, is the correct statement.