Question:

A boy of mass $m$ stands on one end of a wooden planck of length $L$ and mass $M$. The plank is floating on water. If the boy walks from one end of the plank to the other end at a constant speed, the resulting displacement of the plank is given by

Updated On: Jul 5, 2022
  • $\frac {mL}{M}$
  • $\frac {ML}{m}$
  • $\frac {mL}{M+m}$
  • $\frac {mL}{M-m}$
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Before the boy starts walking on the plank. both the boy and the plank are at rest. So total momentum of (boy +plank) system is zero. If the boy walks with a speed $v$ on the plank and as a result if the speed of the plank in the opposite direction is $V$ Then the total momentum of system is $m v-(M+m) V=0$ or $\frac{V}{u}=\frac{m}{(M+m)}$ Since distance moved is proportional to speed, the displacement $L'$ of the plank is given by $\frac{L'}{L}=\frac{V}{V}=\frac{m}{(M+m)}$ or $L'=\frac{m L}{(M+m)}$
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Concepts Used:

Conservation of Energy

In physics and chemistry, the law of conservation of energy states that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant; it is said to be conserved over time.

It also means that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; rather, it can only be transformed or transferred from one form to another. For instance, chemical energy is converted to kinetic energy when a stick of dynamite explodes.

So, mathematically we can represent the law of energy conservation as the following,

The amount of energy spent in a work = The amount of Energy gained in the related work

Now, the derivation of the energy conservation formula is as followed,

Ein − Eout = Δ Esys

We know that the net amount of energy which is transferred in or out of any system is mainly seen in the forms of heat (Q), mass (m) or work (W). Hence, on re-arranging the above equation, we get,

Ein − Eout = Q − W

Now, on dividing all the terms into both the sides of the equation by the mass of the system, the equation represents the law of conservation of energy on a unit mass basis, such as

Q − W = Δ u

Thus, the conservation of energy formula can be written as follows,

Q – W = dU / dt

Here,

Esys = Energy of the system as a whole

Ein = Incoming energy

Eout = Outgoing energy

E = Energy

Q = Heat

M = Mass

W = Work

T = Time