A 48.0 kg child is stationary in the middle of an ice rink (no friction). A 0.750 kg football is thrown with a velocity of 21.2 m/s moving eastward. The child catches the ball and together they slide off in the eastward direction with a velocity of 0.326 m/s. Take east to be positive.

Question

a) Find the impulse (magnitude and direction) experienced by the football during the collision.
b) Find the impulse (magnitude and direction) experienced by the child during the collision.
c) Suppose the collision lasted 0.254 sec. Find the average force (magnitude and direction) experienced by the child during the collision.
d) What was the child’s average acceleration during the collision?
e) Characterize the collision as elastic, inelastic, or completely inelastic

Answer 1

What is your question about this? It appears straightforward.

a. impulse = change momentum
initial momentumball=finalmomentumball+finalmomentum child
.75*21.1=(.75+48)velocityfinal
solve for velocity fnal, then determine the momentum change of the ball, and the child.
c. force*time=changemomentum