Chapter 9, Problem 35AP

An amateur skater of mass M is trapped in the middle of an ice rink and is unable to return to the side where there is no ice. Every motion she makes causes her to slip on the ice and remain in the same spot. She decides to try to return to safety by throwing her gloves of mass m in the direction opposite the safe side. (a) She throws the gloves as hard as she can, and they leave her hand with a horizontal velocity ${\stackrel{\to }{v}}_{\text{gloves}}$. Explain whether or not she moves. (b) If she does move, calculate her velocity ${\stackrel{\to }{v}}_{\text{girl}}$ relative to the Earth after she throws the gloves. (c) Discuss her motion from the point of view of the forces acting on her.