How Do Newton's Laws Explain the Motion of Two Men Pushing Each Other?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the application of Newton's Laws of Motion to a scenario where two 80 kg men push against each other with a force of 500N. The participants debate the implications of this force, considering factors such as the environment (e.g., frictionless surfaces) and the positioning of the men. The consensus indicates that if the force is applied continuously, both men would experience an acceleration of 6.25 m/s², but the lack of specific conditions leads to ambiguity in the outcome.

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Homework Statement



An 80 kg man (A) pushes another 80kg man (B) with a force of 500N, describes what occurs.

Homework Equations


Newtons 2nd and 3rd Law ?



The Attempt at a Solution


I suspect the answer is both men fly apart with an acceleration of (500/80) m/s2 ? But in real life I would imagine man A would stay put ?
 
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Hi pkc111! :smile:
pkc111 said:
An 80 kg man (A) pushes another 80kg man (B) with a force of 500N, describes what occurs.

Answer 1:

Are they on ice? or in space?

Is each man standing with feet side-by-side, or in-line?

Are their weights being supported on their heels or their toes?

Is the force applied to B at this centre of mass?

If this is a physics question, there's nowhere near enough information. :rolleyes:

If it's a sociology question, I'd say they're equally matched, so there'll be a fight! :wink:​

Answer 2:

The force is given in Newtons, so it's not an impulse (which would be in Newton.seconds).

So the question must mean that the force is being applied continuously, which means that A and B must be staying together, with acceleration of … ? :smile:
 

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