Chapter 7, Problem 1CQ

You find yourself in the middle of a frozen lake with a surface so slippery $\left({\mu }_s={\mu }_k=0\right)$ you cannot walk. However, you happen to have several rocks in your pocket. The ice is extremely hard. It cannot be chipped, and the rocks slip on it just as much as your feet do. Can you think of a way to get to shore? Use pictures, forces, and Newton's laws to explain your reasoning.

To determine

The way to get to the shore in the given situation.

Explanation of Solution

This is according to Newton’s third law which says that to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, if we throw the rock with a force in the opposite direction as an action then rocks also apply force on us in the direction of their movement.

We can understand this with the below free body diagram.

  

  Figure.1

Conclusion:

On a frictionless surface, if anybody wants to move in a certain direction than he/she must throw something in the opposite direction.