Question

A student of mass m₁ = 73 kg stands on a long cart of mass m₂ = 110 kg initially at rest. He begins to run in the cart with a speed relative to the ground of v₁ = 3.5 m/s.

m₁= 73 kg, m₂= 110 kg, v₁=3.5 m/s

(a) Write an expression for the horizontal component of the cart's velocity relative to the ground while the student is running, in terms of the variables given in the problem statement. Assume the student is running in the positive x-direction.

(b) What is this velocity, in meters per second?

(c) What is the horizontal component of the student's velocity relative to the cart, in meters per second? Use a coordinate system fixed to the cart which has the same orientation for the x-axis as the system fixed to the ground we defined in part (a).

Answer 1