Question

Two skiers travel two different frictionless paths. The two paths start at the same place and finish at the same place. Skier A is heavier than Skier B. With no more information, which of the skiers has the greater speed at the finish? Ignore air resistance.

A. Skier A has the same speed as Skier B at the finish.

B. Skier A has the greater speed at the finish.

C. Skier B has the greater speed at the finish.

D. There is no way to know which skier has the greater speed at the finish.

Answer 1

Since the skiers start at the same place and finish at the same place, the vertical height covered by the skiers is the same.

If both the skiers start from rest, by the time they arrive at the finish point, their initial potential energy will be converted to kinetic energy.

Cancel mass m

Final velocity will not depend on mass

It depends on the initial height.

Since both have the same initial height, their final velocities will be the same.

ANSWER: A. Skier A has the same speed as Skier B at the finish.

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