An old legend tells the story of a stingy man who never let go of his bag of coins. One winter's day, he slipped in the snow and suddenly found himself in the middle of a frozen pond. The ice on the pond was so smooth and slippery that he could not grab on to the ice to stand up. In fact, he could not get enough traction to move on it at all. What could he do to save himself.
All I know about the answer is it has to use a physics concept.
2007-02-14 07:58:24 · 7 answers · asked by I<3Twilight 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
He can throw the money bag in the opposite direction that he wants to travel. By conservation of momentum, his velocity will as follows: Vm = Mb*Vb/Mm,
Vm = velocity of the man
Vb = velocity of the bag
Mm = mass of the man
Mb = mass of the bag.
Since the ice is so slippery, the friction must be very, very low, so he will not slow down until he gets to the edge of the pond.
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2007-02-14 08:06:40 · answer #1 · answered by Bayou Brigadier 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ok...we know it has something to do with the bag of coins (otherwise, there's no reason to mention it, right?) The next important piece of information is that the ice is "so smooth and slippery that he couldn't not grab the ice, stand up, or be able to move at all". So here's the deal: we have a bag of coins and no traction due to slippery ice. How about using the coins to etch the ice and produce traction.? Or use the coins to chip the ice and pull yourself across the pond? It's the same theory as how ice skates work. Come to think of it...how about putting the coins on the bottom of the shoes and actually make ice skates?
Good luck.
2007-02-14 16:10:50 · answer #2 · answered by SolMan 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe he could pick up his cell phone and call one of his buddies. Then he can say to his buddy, "Hey dude, I'll give you a bunch of coins if you come and get me off of this frozen pond." After his buddy came to free him, he could whack him with the bag of coins. Since the coins are heavy, and Force = Mass * Acceleration, by swinging the bag at his friends head he could probably knock him out. Then he can get away without giving up any of his coins. This is probably a better solution than throwing the coins in the opposite direction that he wants to travel since this way he keeps all the coins. But he loses a friend probably.
2007-02-14 16:45:15 · answer #3 · answered by Fickle B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since he could throw one coin faster than the whole bag he would maximize the reaction momentum he would gain if he threw the coins one at a time.
2007-02-14 18:14:16 · answer #4 · answered by meg 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He should throw his bag of coins away since by doing so, the reaction force (opposing the force he applies to the bag of coins) will propel him in the opposite direction, allowing him to slide to safety (one of Newtons 3 laws of motion). Once he reaches the land, he can run around the pond to retrieve his bag of coins.
Conservation of momentum is not part of the solution, since acceleration, and therefore force plays no role in the conservation of momentum.
2007-02-14 16:10:13 · answer #5 · answered by Mez 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
He could throw the money and his body would move in the other direction but that would be the stupid thing to do as he might lose his money. All he has to do is blow real hard in the opposite direction he wants to travel. Breath in slow and blow out hard and he will be alive and rich.
2007-02-14 16:10:51 · answer #6 · answered by rokiko 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He must shout "HELP ME"
2007-02-14 16:02:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋