| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[m_1 = 88\;\text{kg},\; m_2 = 55\;\text{kg},\; m_b = 70\;\text{kg},\; s = 3.1\;\text{m}\] | Define the masses of the two people, the boat, and the seat separation \(s\). |
| 2 | \[r_2 – r_1 = s\] | Let \(r_1\) be the seat position of the \(88\,\text{kg}\) person and \(r_2\) that of the \(55\,\text{kg}\) person, measured from the boat’s center of mass; their difference equals \(s\). |
| 3 | \[X_{\text{cm,i}} = \frac{m_1(B_i + r_1) + m_2(B_i + r_2) + m_b B_i}{m_1+m_2+m_b}\] | Write the initial horizontal center-of-mass position of the entire isolated system relative to the water; \(B_i\) is the boat’s center position initially. |
| 4 | \[X_{\text{cm,f}} = \frac{m_1(B_f + r_2) + m_2(B_f + r_1) + m_b B_f}{m_1+m_2+m_b}\] | After exchanging seats, each person occupies the other seat, so their positions swap inside the fraction. \(B_f\) is the boat’s final position. |
| 5 | \[X_{\text{cm,i}} = X_{\text{cm,f}}\] | With no external horizontal forces, the center of mass of the system remains fixed relative to the water. |
| 6 | \[M(B_i – B_f) = (m_1 – m_2)s\] | After equating Steps 3 and 4, collect terms; here \(M = m_1 + m_2 + m_b\). |
| 7 | \[B_f – B_i = -\frac{m_1 – m_2}{M}\,s\] | Solve for the boat’s displacement relative to the water; the minus sign shows direction. |
| 8 | \[|\Delta x_{\text{boat}}| = \frac{88-55}{88+55+70}\,(3.1) = 0.48\;\text{m}\] | Insert the numerical values: \(m_1 – m_2 = 33\,\text{kg}\) and \(M = 213\,\text{kg}\). |
| 9 | \[\boxed{\;\Delta x_{\text{boat}} = 0.48\,\text{m}\;}\] | Magnitude of the boat’s motion relative to the water. |
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[B_f – B_i < 0\] | The negative sign from Step 7 (part a) shows the boat moves opposite the positive axis defined from the \(88\,\text{kg}\) person toward the \(55\,\text{kg}\) person. |
| 2 | \[\text{Motion toward 88 kg seat}\] | Hence the boat slides in the direction of the heavier person’s original position. |
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From the figure above, determine which characteristic fits this collision best.
A rubber ball with a mass of \(0.25 \, \text{kg}\) and a speed of \(19.0 \, \text{m/s}\) collides perpendicularly with a wall and bounces off with a speed of \(21 \, \text{m/s}\) in the opposite direction. What is the magnitude of the impulse acting on the rubber ball?

A bullet (mass: \(0.05 \, \text{kg}\)) is fired horizontally (\(v = 200 \, \text{m/s}\)) at a block (mass: \(1.3 \, \text{kg}\)) initially at rest on a frictionless surface. The block is attached to a spring (\(k = 2500 \, \text{N/m}\)). The bullet becomes embedded. Calculate:
A rocket explodes into two fragments, one \(25\) times heavier than the other. The change in momentum of the lighter fragment is
A \(3800 \, \text{kg}\) open railroad car coasts along with a constant speed of \(8.60 \, \text{m/s}\) along a level track. Snow begins to fall vertically and fills the car at a rate of \(3.50 \, \text{kg/min}\). Ignoring friction with the tracks, what is the speed of the car after \(90 \, \text{min}\)?
A \( 1.0 \)\( \text{-kg} \) object is moving with a velocity of \( 6.0 \) \( \text{m/s} \) to the right. It collides and sticks to a \( 2.0 \)\( \text{-kg} \) object moving with a velocity of \( 3.0 \) \( \text{m/s} \) in the same direction. How much kinetic energy was lost in the collision?
A rubber ball and a piece of clay have equal masses. They are dropped from the same height on horizontal steel platform. The ball bounces back with nearly the same speed with which it hit. The clay sticks to the platform. Choose all that is true about the ball/platform and the clay/platform systems.
An astronaut initially at rest in space throws a wrench, and recoils in the opposite direction. Select all that is true.
A bowling ball moving with speed \(v\) collides head-on with a stationary tennis ball. The collision is elastic and there is no friction. The bowling ball barely slows down. What is the speed of the tennis ball after the collision?
A space probe far from the Earth is travelling at \( 14.8 \) \( \text{km s}^{-1} \). It has mass \( 1\,312 \) \( \text{kg} \). The probe fires its rockets to give a constant thrust of \( 156 \) \( \text{kN} \) for \( 220. \) \( \text{s} \). It accelerates in the same direction as its initial velocity. In this time it burns \( 150. \) \( \text{kg} \) of fuel.
Calculate the final speed of the space probe in \( \text{km s}^{-1} \).
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| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
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