Question

A skateboarder with a mass of 45 kilograms is riding on a skateboard with a mass of 2.5 kilograms. What should be the velocity of the skateboarder if she has to attain a momentum of 264 kilogram meters/second? A. 5.5 meters/second B. 55.5 meters/second C. 1.2 × 102 meters/second D. 1.2 × 103 meters/second E. 1.2 × 104 meters/second

Answer 1

The skateboarder should have a velocity of 5.5 meters/second to attain a momentum of 264 kilogram meters/second. The correct answer is option A.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the velocity of the skateboarder, we can use the principle of conservation of momentum. Momentum is defined as mass times velocity. The initial momentum of the system, consisting of the skateboarder and the skateboard, is given by

(45 kg + 2.5 kg) * 0 m/s = 0 kg m/s,

since both the skateboarder and the skateboard are initially at rest.

The final momentum of the system is given by

(45 kg + 2.5 kg) * v,

where v is the velocity of the skateboarder. We are given that the final momentum is 264 kg m/s.

Setting the initial and final momenta equal, we have:

(45 kg + 2.5 kg) * 0 m/s = (45 kg + 2.5 kg) * v.

Solving for v, we find v = 264 kg m/s / (45 kg + 2.5 kg) = 5.5 m/s.

Therefore, the correct answer is option A, 5.5 meters/second.