What Is the Maximum Force on the Man from the Woman?

[McAfee]

Homework Statement

A 54 kg woman is ice-skating toward the east on a frictionless frozen lake when she collides with a 79 kg man who is ice-skating toward the west. The maximum force exerted on the woman by the man during the collision is 160 N, west. Take east to be the positive direction of the x axis. (a) What is the maximum force on the man from the woman, including direction? (b) What is the maximum acceleration of the woman, including direction? (c) What is the maximum acceleration of the man, including direction?

The Attempt at a Solution

I'm having trouble obtaining the answer to part A.

I am setting up the problem like so:

F+160=54(a)
I'm not sure what I should do?

I was able already to get the answers to b and c. This is what I did.

b) F = m a so a = F/m = 160N/ 54 kg in the direction of the force (which is to the west) (negative)= -2.96296

c) a = F/m in this case, we use m = 79kg, so a = 160N/ 79 kg = 2.02 m/s/s east (positive)

 

[Delphi51]

I think (a) is a Newton's First Law question. Easier than you suspect!

 

[McAfee]

Thank you for responding.