A boat floats south on the Amazon River at a speed of 6 m/s. The boat and
passengers have a combined mass of 540 kg.

a. What is the momentum of the boat? (Remember, momentum is a vector
quantity.)

b. The passengers paddle backward, reducing the speed to 4 m/s. What was the
impulse applied to the boat by the paddling?

Respuesta :

Explanation:

Take south to be negative.

a. Momentum is mass times velocity.

p = mv

p = (540 kg) (-6 m/s)

p = -3240 kg m/s

p = 3240 kg m/s south

b. Impulse = change in momentum

J = Δp

Since the mass is constant:

J = mΔv

J = (540 kg) (-4 m/s − (-6 m/s))

J = 1080 kg m/s

J = 1080 kg m/s north