Question

While A Carolina Panther’s linebacker collides with an New England Patriots’s receiver. Prior to the tackle, the Panther player (125-kg) has a velocity of 4.0 m/s due East. The receiver (100-kg) is running across the field at 4.5 m/s due North to catch the pass. Once the ball is caught, the Panther player tackles the receiver (for a loss) and they fall together as one body.

What are the initial momenta of the two players?

What are the initial kinetic energies of the two players?

What is the magnitude of the final momentum of the two players?

What direction do they fall?

Answer 1

a)
Let East be +x axis

momentum of linebaker, Pxi = m1*v1x

= 125*4

= 500 kg.m/s

momentum of reciever,Pyi = m2*v2y

= 100*4.5

= 450 kg.m/s

b) KInetic energy of line baker = 0.5*125*4^2

= 1000 J

kinetic energy of reciever = 0.5*100*4.5^2

= 1012.5 J

c) final momentum of the two players = su initial momentum of two players

= sqrt(Pxi^2 + Pyi^2)
= sqrt(500^2 + 450^2)

= 672.68 kg.m/s

d) let vx and vy are final components of two persons

m1*v1x = (m1+m2)vx

==> vx = m1*v1x/(m1+m2)

= 125*4.5/(125+100)

= 2.5 m/s

m2*v2y = (m1+m2)*vy

vy = m2*v2y/(m1+m2)

= 100*4.5/(125+100)

= 2 m/s

so, theta = tan^-1(Vy/vx)

= tan^-1(2/2.5)

= 36.7 degrees north of east