Question

A wagon is coasting at a speed VA along a straight and level road. When ten percent of the wagon’s mass is thrown off the wagon, parallel to the ground and in the forward direction, the wagon is brought to a halt. If the direction in which the mass is thrown is exactly reversed, but the speed of the mass relative to the ground remains the same, the wagon accelerates to a new speed VB. (a) Calculate the ratio VB/VA. (b) Use Proportionality sense-making to check your answer in part (a). How would you expect the ratio to behave if it was a larger percentage of the wagon’s mass required to bring it to a halt?

Answer 1