Two canoeists in identical canoes exert the same effort paddlingand hence mainta

Question

Two canoeists in identical canoes exert the same effort paddlingand hence maintain the same speed relative to the water. Onepaddles directly upstream (and moves upstream), whereas the otherpaddles directly downstream. With downstream as the positivedirection, an observer on shore determines the velocities of thetwo canoes to be -1.2 m/s and+2.9 m/s,respectively. (a) What is the speed of the water relative toshore?
1 m/s

(b) What is the speed of each canoe relative to the water?
2 m/s (a) What is the speed of the water relative toshore?
1 m/s

(b) What is the speed of each canoe relative to the water?
2 m/s

Explanation / Answer

You know that for each canoe: .    speed relative to shore = speed ofwater + speed relative to water .       write this equation foreach canoe, using   c for speed ofcanoe   and   w for speed of water: .    -1.2   =  - c  + w           2.9= c + w      (note: first canoeist paddles in the negativedirection, water flows in + direction) .    add theequations:        1.7   = 2w         w = 0.85m/s       speed of water .    now...    2.9 =  c   + 0.85         c =    2.05m/s    speed of each canoe relative towater

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