Question

A high school physics teacher also happens to be the junior hockey team coach. During a break at practice, the coach asks two players to go to the center of the ice with a 10.0-m pole. A 40-kg player is at one end of the pole and a 60-kg player is at the other end. The players then start pulling themselves together by pulling the rod and sliding on the ice as they move along the rod. When the two players meet, what distance will the 60-kg player have moved

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

Since no external force acts on the system , centre of mass of two players will remain the same throughout the movement .

Distance of centre of mass is inversely proportional to mass . So centre of mass of the system will be nearer to 60 kg player

Distance of cetre of mass from 60 kg player

= 10 x 40 / (60+40 )

= 4 m

They will meet at centre of mass .

So, 60 kg player will be moving by a distance of 4 m , 40 kg player will be moving by 6 m before they meet .