What distance does a canoe move when a woman walks across it?

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AI Thread Summary
A 45.0-kg woman walks across a 60-kg canoe that is 5.00 m long, moving from 1.00 m from one end to 1.00 m from the other. The discussion emphasizes using the principle of conservation of momentum and the concept of the center of mass to determine how far the canoe moves. Since no external forces act on the system, the center of mass remains unchanged during the woman's movement. Participants suggest drawing a diagram and framing equations to visualize the problem. The key takeaway is that the center of mass is crucial for solving the distance the canoe moves.
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Homework Statement



A 45.0-kg woman stads up in a 60-kg canoe 5.00 m long. She walks from a point 1.00 m from one end to a point 1.00 m from the other end. If you ignore resistance to motion of the canoe in water, how far does the canoe move during this process.

Homework Equations



p=mv
J=p2-p1
p1=p2

The Attempt at a Solution



I guess I should try to make the momentum before and after equal, but I don't know how to relate that to the distance.
 
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Since there is no external force acting on the system in the direction of motion, you can use the fact that the position of center of mass remains unchanged. Draw out a diagram, and frame equations making sure that the COM stays same.
 
hi anthonych414! :smile:

hint: what happens to the centre of mass? :wink:
 
Right, the center of mass! I can't believe I didn't think of it! I feel silly... Anyway thanks for the help guys :D
 

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