Physics momentum/ speed question. Need help

In summary, a woman with a mass of 40 kg runs at a speed of 9 m/s and jumps onto a 30 kg skateboard initially at rest. Using the law of conservation of momentum, the combined mass of 70 kg and the woman's momentum of 360 kg*m/s, the combined speed of the woman and skateboard after she jumps on is 5.1 m/s.
  • #1
astru025
163
0
Physics momentum/ speed question. Need help!

Homework Statement



A woman with a mass of 40 kg runs at a speed of 9 m/s and jumps onto a giant 30 kg skateboard initially at rest. What is the combined speed of the woman and the skateboard?

Homework Equations


Momentum= mass x velocity. I can use this to find the momentum of the woman before she jumps onto the skateboard. But what do I do after this??


The Attempt at a Solution


Momentum of woman= 40 kg x 9m/s. 360 kg * m/s. what I do from here?! Any help would be nice :)
 
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  • #2
astru025 said:
Momentum= mass x velocity. I can use this to find the momentum of the woman before she jumps onto the skateboard. But what do I do after this??
Do you know the combined mass after they join?

Is there some law involving momentum?
 
  • #3
The combined mass after they join would be 40 kg and 30 kg =70 kg correct?
There is the law of conservation of momentum...,
 
  • #4
Momentum is conserved, i.e. for any process, the total momentum before = the total momentum afterwards. Basically the woman and skateboard can be considered as one object moving with speed v after she has jumped on, whose total momentum must be the same as the momentum before (of the two objects separately).
 
  • #5
The woman's momentum before she jumps on the skateboard is, 360. The total momentum of the skateboard is 0. The skateboard weight plus the woman's weight equals 70 kg. total momentum before equals total momentum after so how do I find total momentum before?.
 
  • #6
Before:
total momentum
= momentum of woman + momentum of board
= 40 * 9 + 30 * 0

After:
total momentum
= momentum of woman + momentum of board
=
 
  • #7
Total momentum= 360
Momentum= mass x velocity
360=70 kg x Velocity
Divide each side by 70 and the velocity equals 5.1 thanks for the help!
 

1. What is momentum in physics?

Momentum is a physics concept that describes the quantity of motion an object has. It is the product of an object's mass and its velocity, and is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.

2. How is momentum calculated?

Momentum (p) can be calculated by multiplying an object's mass (m) by its velocity (v). This can be expressed as the formula p = mv. The SI unit for momentum is kilogram-meter per second (kg*m/s).

3. What is the difference between linear and angular momentum?

Linear momentum refers to the motion of an object in a straight line, while angular momentum refers to the motion of an object around an axis. Linear momentum is calculated using the mass and velocity of an object, while angular momentum is calculated using the mass, velocity, and radius of rotation.

4. How does momentum relate to Newton's laws of motion?

Newton's first law states that an object will remain at rest or in motion with constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. Momentum is a measure of an object's tendency to continue moving with its current velocity. Newton's second law states that the force applied to an object is equal to the rate of change of its momentum. And Newton's third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, which is also related to momentum.

5. Can momentum be conserved in a closed system?

Yes, according to the law of conservation of momentum, the total momentum of a closed system remains constant if there are no external forces acting on the system. This means that the initial momentum of a system is equal to the final momentum after any collisions or interactions between objects within the system.

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