In pairs figure-skating competition, a 65-kg man and his 45-kg female partner stand facing each other both at rest on the ice. If they push apart and the woman has a velocity of 1.5 m/s eastward, what is the velocity of her partner? (Neglect friction.)

The final velocity of her partner is approximately -1.04 m/s or 1.04 m/s in the opposite direction to her direction of motion

Explanation:

The given parameters are;

The mass of the man, m₁ = 65 kg

The mass of the woman, m₂ = 45 kg

Taking the relative initial velocity of the man and the woman as 0 m/s, we have;

The initial velocity of the man, v₁₁ = 0 m/s

The initial velocity of the man, v₁₂ = 0 m/s

The final velocity of the woman, v₂₂ = 1.5 m/s

The final velocity of the man = v₂₁

Therefore, we have, by the conservation of momentum principle;

The total initial momentum = The total final momentum

Which gives;

m₁ × v₁₁ + m₂ × v₁₂ = m₁ × v₂₁ + m₂ × v₂₂

Substituting the known values;

65 × 0 + 45 × 0 = 65 × v₂₁ + 45 × 1.5

∴ 65 × v₂₁ + 45 × 1.5 = 0

45 × 1.5 = - 65 × v₂₁

v₂₁ = 45 × 1.5/(-65) ≈ -1.04 m/s

The final velocity of the man, her partner = v₂₁ ≈ -1.04 m/s.

when two balls of the different masses are dropped from equal height, they reach the ground at the same time .this is because they experience the same acceleration.

the acceleration is independent of mass.

thus when they are dropped they will always maintain the same velocity and travel the same distance (neglect air resistance of course) at the same time.