Serway & Jewett — Linear Momentum and Collisions: Problem 4

A 65.0-kg boy and his 40.0-kg sister, both wearing roller blades, face each other at rest. The girl pushes the boy hard, sending him backward with velocity 2.90 m/s toward the west. Ignore friction. (a) Describe the subsequent motion of the girl. (b) How much potential energy in the girl’s body is converted into mechanical energy of the boy–girl system? (c) Is the momentum of the boy–girl system conserved in the pushing-apart process? If so, explain how that is possible considering (d) there are large forces acting and (e) there is no motion beforehand and plenty of motion afterward.