Calculating Center of Mass for a Group on a Boat

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the center of mass for a group of 23 people on a boat weighing 10,000 kg, where each person has an average mass of 70 kg. The equation used is x_cm = (m1x1 + m2x2) / (m1 + m2), where m1 represents the total mass of the people and m2 is the mass of the boat. The participants explore the conservation of momentum and the implications of movement on the center of mass, concluding that the center of mass remains unchanged in the absence of external forces.

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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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