After skiding down a snow-covered hill on an inner tube, Ashley is coasting across a level snowfield at a constant velocity of 2.0 m/s. Miranda runs after her at a velocity of 4.9 m/s and hops on the inner tube. How fast do the two of them slide across the snow together on the inner tube?

Question

Assume mass of Ashley as 60 kg and Miranda 70 kg

3.56 m/s

Explanation:

From law of conservation of linear momentum, the sum of initial momentum equals the sum of final momentum.

Momentum, p=mv where m is mass and v is velocity. In this case

M1v1+m2v2=(m1+m2)v where v is common velocity in question.

60*2+70*4.9=(60+70)v

V=3.56 m/s