Question

1. A rich merchant finds himself stranded in the middle of a frozen lake. Don't ask how he got there. Think Twilight Zone... The surface

is perfectly frictionless. All he has is his clothing and a large bag of gold coins. How can he save himself? Write down your answer.

2. You are hammering a nail into a hard piece of wood. You are using one of your little brothers light, toy hammers and getting nowhere fast. Finally, you grab a hammer with a heavier head and your task goes much easier. Which one of Newtons laws did you finally remember? explain.

Answer 1

1. The rich merchant can save himself by throwing some of the gold coins onto the ice in the direction he wants to go. The coins will slide along the ice, creating a small amount of friction and allowing the merchant to move forward. He can repeat this process, throwing the coins in front of him, until he reaches the shore.

2. The law that you finally remembered is Newton's second law of motion, which states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force applied to it and inversely proportional to its mass. The toy hammer has a lighter head and therefore applies less force to the nail, resulting in less acceleration. The heavier hammer has a heavier head and applies more force to the nail, resulting in greater acceleration and making the task easier.

Answer 2

1. The merchant can save himself by throwing the gold coins in one direction. The coins will move in the opposite direction due to Newton's Third Law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The reaction caused by the coins will propel the merchant in the opposite direction, allowing him to reach safety.

2. The hammering experience is a demonstration of Newton's Second Law of motion, which states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force applied to it and inversely proportional to its mass. The heavier hammer has a greater mass, which means that it requires more force to accelerate it. When the heavier hammer is swung, it applies more force to the nail, allowing it to drive into the wood more easily.