High School

A skater of mass 40 kg is carrying a box of mass 5 kg. The skater has a speed of 5 m/s with respect to the floor and is gliding without any friction on a smooth surface.

What is the total momentum of the skater and the box?

A. 200 kg·m/s
B. 160 kg·m/s
C. 245 kg·m/s
D. 235 kg·m/s

Answer :

Final answer:

The momentum of the skater carrying the box is calculated using the mass and velocity, yielding a momentum of 225 kg·m/s; however, this answer is not listed, and the closest listed option is 235 kg·m/s.

Explanation:

The question involves calculating the momentum of a skater and a box. The skater, with a mass of 40 kg and a speed of 5 m/s, in combination with a box of mass 5 kg, results in a total mass of 45 kg. The momentum p of an object is given by the product of its mass m and its velocity v, expressed as p = m × v. Hence, the combined momentum of the skater and the box is p = 45 kg × 5 m/s = 225 kg·m/s. However, since the question appears to have a typo as none of the options match the calculated momentum, the closest option would be (d) 235 kg·m/s.