Two people, one twice as massive as the other, attempt a tug-of- war with 12 meters of massless rope on frictionless ice. After a brief time, they meet. The heavier person slides a distance of
A) 4 m.
B) 6 m.
C) 0 m.
D) 3 m.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The heavier person slides 4 meters because in a system with no external forces, the center of mass does not move. Since they start 12 meters apart and meet in the middle, the distances they slide are inversely proportional to their masses. The heavier person, being twice as massive, slides half the distance of the lighter person, which is 4 meters (one-third of the total distance).

Two People, One Twice as Massive as the Other, Attempt