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A person on a sled is moving to the right along a frictionless surface. The person throws a ball straight upward (as seen in the person’s frame of reference). What will happen to the motion of the person and sled?
The answer is that it will stay the same. I kind of understand the explanation but don't understand one of the statements for the solution: Before the throw, the person, sled and ball all have horizontal velocity. When the person throws the ball upward, it will still have that same horizontal velocity even though the person thinks the ball is moving straight up. Since the horizontal momentum of the ball remains the same, the combined momentum of the person + sled must also remain the same.
If the person is throwing the ball upward, would there be velocity in the vertical direction? In this case, why would the horizontal velocity remain the same?
Thanks!
The answer is that it will stay the same. I kind of understand the explanation but don't understand one of the statements for the solution: Before the throw, the person, sled and ball all have horizontal velocity. When the person throws the ball upward, it will still have that same horizontal velocity even though the person thinks the ball is moving straight up. Since the horizontal momentum of the ball remains the same, the combined momentum of the person + sled must also remain the same.
If the person is throwing the ball upward, would there be velocity in the vertical direction? In this case, why would the horizontal velocity remain the same?
Thanks!