Exciting Physics Challenge: How Far Do Fred and Brutus Slide After Collision?

Question:

If Fred (mass 61 kg) is running with the football at a speed of 6.0 m/s and is met head-on by Brutus (mass 120 kg) moving at 4.5 m/s, how far do they slide after colliding?

Answer:

After falling on the ground, Brutus and Fred slide till a distance of 41 cm.

Let's dive into the exciting world of physics and solve this intriguing challenge involving Fred and Brutus colliding head-on! Fred, with a mass of 61 kg, is sprinting with the football at a speedy 6.0 m/s, while the formidable Brutus, weighing 120 kg, charges at 4.5 m/s. Their collision leads to a gripping scenario as Brutus grabs Fred tightly, causing them to tumble to the ground.

As per the law of conservation of momentum, the total momentum remains constant in the absence of external forces. Therefore, we can equate the initial momentum of Fred and Brutus before the collision to their final combined momentum after the collision using the formula:

M₁V₁ + M₂V₂ = (M₁ + M₂)V

By substituting the values, we find that the speed of Brutus and Fred combined after the collision is 5 m/s.

Next, applying the work-energy theorem, we calculate the distance they slide after the collision. The work done by friction is equal to the change in kinetic energy of Brutus and Fred, given by:

u(M₁ + M₂)gd = 1/2(M₁ + M₂)V²

By substituting the values and solving the equation, we determine that they slide to a distance of 41 meters. What an exhilarating physics challenge!