Engineering
Physics
Newtons Third Law of Motion
Center of Mass
Momentum and Energy Conservation for System of Particles
Question

A man sits in the back of a canoe in still water. He then moves to the front of the canoe and sits there. Afterwards the canoe:

is rearward of its original position and moving backward

is rearward of its original position and not moving

is rearward of its original position and moving forward

is forward of its original position and moving backward

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Solution
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Verified by Zigyan

This involves conservation of momentum. The man-canoe system has zero initial momentum. When the man moves forward, the canoe must move backward to keep the total momentum at zero. After he stops, all motion ceases.

Let m be the man's mass, M the canoe's mass. The center of mass remains fixed. The canoe moves backward while he walks. When he stops at the front, the canoe stops moving but is now rearward of its original position.

Final answer: is rearward of its original position and not moving