Question

A 10 m long glider with a mass of 680 kg (including the passengers) is gliding horizontally through the air at 30 m/s when a 68 kg skydiver drops out by releasing his grip on the glider. What is the magnitude of the glider's velocity just after the skydiver lets go?

Answer 1

v = 30.39 m/s

Step-by-step explanation:

given,

mass of glider,M = 680 Kg

mass of the skydiver, m = 68 Kg

horizontal velocity,V = 30 m/s

when skydiver releases, velocity,v = 30 m/s

velocity if the glider,v' = ?

use the conservation of momentum

M V = m' v' + m v

m' = 680-68 = 612 Kg

680 x 30 = 612 x v + 60 x 30

612 v = 18600

v = 30.39 m/s

since the skydiver's speed will be the same as before release

The glider should continue to travel at 30.39 m/s since there are no external forces acting on it