Fundamentals of Physics Extended (10th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1-11823-072-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-11823-072-5

Chapter 5 - Force and Motion-I - Problems - Page 119: 37c

Answer

$$x_{g}=2.6 \mathrm{\ m}$$

Work Step by Step

it's obvious that accelerations of the girl and sled are in opposite directions. Assuming the girl starts at the origin and moves in the $+x$ direction, her coordinate is given by $x_{g}=\frac{1}{2} a_{g} t^{2} .$ The sled starts at $x_{0}=15 \mathrm{m}$ and moves in the $-x$ direction. Its coordinate is given by $x_{s}=x_{0}-\frac{1}{2} a_{s} t^{2} .$ They meet when $x_{g}=x_{s},$ or $$\frac{1}{2} a_{g} t^{2}=x_{0}-\frac{1}{2} a_{s} t^{2}$$ This occurs at time $$t=\sqrt{\frac{2 x_{0}}{a_{g}+a_{s}}}$$ By then, the girl has gone the distance $$x_{g}=\frac{1}{2} a_{g} t^{2}=\frac{x_{0} a_{g}}{a_{g}+a_{s}}=\frac{(15 \mathrm{m})\left(0.13 \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{s}^{2}\right)}{0.13 \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{s}^{2}+0.62 \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{s}^{2}}=2.6 \mathrm{m}$$
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