Two speedboats are traveling at the same speed relative to the water in opposite directions in a moving river. An observer on the riverbank sees the boats moving at 4.9 m/s and 7.0 m/s.(a) What is the speed of the boats relative to the river? (b) How fast is the river moving relative to the shore?

a) vboat = 5.95 m/s  b) vriver= 1.05 m/s

Explanation:

a) As observed from the shore, the speed of the boats can be expressed as the vector sum, of the boat speed relative to the water and the river speed relative to the shore, as follows:

vb₁s = vb₁w + vrs

In one case, the boat is moving in the same direction as the water:

vb₁s = vb₁w + vrs = 7.0 m/s (1)

For the other boat, it is clear that is moving in an opposite direction:

vb₂s = vb₂w - vrs = 4.9 m/s (2)

As  we know that vb₁w = vb₂w, adding both sides, we can remove the river speed from the equation, as follows:

vb₁w = vb₂w =  

b) Replacing this value in (1) and solving for vriver, we have:

vriver = 7.0 m/s - 5.95 m/s = 1.05 m/s

(we could have arrived to the same result subtracting both sides in (1), and (2))

the box does not move because you need to use a force greater than 300 n. you are only using 50 n. it needs to at least be 301 n for the box to move because then it is an unbalanced force and it will move the way that the greater force is pushing it. if you use only 300 n it will be a balanced force and will not move because the force you are exerting on the   box is the same as its force.

hope this !

im sorry if i went too in depth, i am going to include a link to a video on khan academy that will explain this.   hope that you like the video and that it explains more in detail to you.

that is the link.