A 40.0-kg football player leaps through the air to collide with and tackle a 50.0-kg player heading toward him, also in the air. If the 40.0-kg player is heading to the right at 9.0 m/s and the 50.0-kg player is heading toward the left at 2.0 m/s, what is the speed and direction of the tangled players

The speed and direction of the tangled players is 2.89 m/s towards right.

Explanation:

Given;

mass of the player heading right, m₁ = 40 kg

initial velocity of the player heading right, u₁ = 9.0 m/s

mass of the player heading left, m₂ = 50 kg

initial velocity of the player heading left, u₂ = -2.0 m/s

let the speed of the tangled players = v

Apply the law of conservation of linear momentum;

m₁u₁ + m₂u₂ = v(m₁ + m₂)

(40 x 9) + (50 x - 2) = v(40 + 50)

360 - 100 = v(90)

260 = v(90)

v = 260 / 90

v = 2.89 m/s (towards right, since it is in position direction)

Therefore, the speed and direction of the tangled players is 2.89 m/s towards right.

kepler used the data from tycho blahe (his mentor) to construct the laws of planetary motion.