Calculating Center of Mass for a Group on a Boat

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves calculating the movement of a boat as a group of people walks from one end to the other. It is situated in the context of physics, specifically focusing on concepts related to center of mass and momentum conservation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of the center of mass equation and the conservation of momentum. There are attempts to define the masses and positions involved in the calculation, as well as questions about the relevance of velocity in this scenario.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants sharing their thoughts on the correct approach to the problem. Some guidance has been offered regarding the conservation of center of mass, while others are questioning the assumptions made about velocity and the setup of the equations.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the constraints of the problem, including the lack of external forces and the implications of an isolated system. There is also uncertainty regarding the definitions of variables and how to apply them in the context of the problem.

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this question has really stumped me.

23 people on a boat rest on water without friction. Each person has an average mass of 70 kg, and the boat itself weighs 10^4 kg. The entire party walks the entire 8 m distance of the boat from bow to stern. How far (in meters) does the boat move?

i know i have to use this equation somwhere:

x_cm = ( m1x1 + m2x2 ) / ( m1 + m2 )

so far i think
m1 = 23 * 70
x1 = 0
m2 = ?
x2 = ?

can anyone help me?

thnx
 
Last edited:
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You have data to calculate the center of mass before the people move. Since, there are no external forces acting on the c.m., will he change?

So,

x_{cm}_{i} = x_{cm}_{f}​
 
is it like this?

in an isolated system, momentum is conserved. so, m1v1=m2v2, were m1 is the mass of boat, v1 is it's velocity, m2 is the mass of all the people, v2 is the velocity of them,

v2=(m1v1)/m2
d2/t=m1/m2 x d1/t
d2=m1/m2 x d1

since every1 covers d1, assume that the center of mass is over 1point that covers the 8meters...

does this make sense?
 
no i don't think I am makes sense because we're not dealing with velocity here
 
so i got this so far but i don't know which is which to plug in

m_{1}x_{1}_{i} + m_{2}x_{2}_{i} = m_{1}x_{1}_{f} + m{2}x_{2}_{f}​

am i on the right track?
 
Last edited:

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