- #1
Dustinsfl
- 2,281
- 5
Two hobos, each of mass $m_{\text{h}}$, are standing at one end of a stationary railroad flatcar with frictionless wheels and mass $m_{\text{fc}}$.
Either hobo can run to the other end of the flatcar and jump off with the same speed $u$ (relative to the car).
Use conservation of momentum to find the speed of the recoiling car if the two men run and jump off simultaneously.
Let $v$ be the velocity of the recoiling car.
Then
\begin{alignat*}{3}
m_{\text{fc}}v & = & 2m_{\text{h}}(u - v)\\
v & = & \frac{2m_{\text{h}}}{m_{\text{fc}}}(u - v)
\end{alignat*}
The solution is $v = \frac{2m_{\text{h}}}{2m_{\text{h}}+m_{\text{fc}}}u$.
How did they get that?
Either hobo can run to the other end of the flatcar and jump off with the same speed $u$ (relative to the car).
Use conservation of momentum to find the speed of the recoiling car if the two men run and jump off simultaneously.
Let $v$ be the velocity of the recoiling car.
Then
\begin{alignat*}{3}
m_{\text{fc}}v & = & 2m_{\text{h}}(u - v)\\
v & = & \frac{2m_{\text{h}}}{m_{\text{fc}}}(u - v)
\end{alignat*}
The solution is $v = \frac{2m_{\text{h}}}{2m_{\text{h}}+m_{\text{fc}}}u$.
How did they get that?