Question

A mother and her small child are standing in an inflatable bouncy house on opposite sides. The mother jumps up and come back down again transferring her kinetic energy to the child through the floor. How will the motion of the small child change

Answer 1

When the mother jumps up and comes back down, she imparts her kinetic energy to the bouncy house, which then transfers some of that energy to the child through the floor. This transfer of energy causes the small child to move in response.

The motion of the small child will depend on the timing and magnitude of the energy transfer. If the mother's jump is forceful and rapid, the child may experience a sudden upward movement as the energy is transferred and the bouncy house rebounds. Conversely, if the mother's jump is gentle or the energy transfer is gradual, the child may experience a more subtle or delayed motion.

Additionally, the motion of the child can be influenced by the child's own weight and leg strength, as well as the elasticity and damping properties of the bouncy house.