A 54 kg man holding a 0.65 kg ball stands on a frozen pond next to a wall. He throws the ball at the wall with a speed of 12.1 m/s (relative to the ground) and then catches the ball after it rebounds from the wall. How fast is he moving after he catches the ball? Ignore the projectile motion of the ball, and assume that it loses no energy in its collision with the wall. Answer in units of m/s.

The velocity of the man is 0.144 m/s

Explanation:

This is a case of conservation of momentum.

The momentum of the moving ball before it was caught must equal the momentum of the man and the ball after he catches the ball.

Mass of ball = 0.65 kg

Mass of the man = 54 kg

Velocity of the ball = 12.1 m/s

Before collision, momentum of the ball = mass x velocity

= 0.65 x 12.1 = 7.865 kg-m/s

After collision the momentum of the man and ball system is

(0.65 + 54)Vf = 54.65Vf

Where Vf is their final common velocity.

Equating the initial and final momentum,

7.865 = 54.65Vf

Vf = 7.865/54.65 = 0.144 m/s