A hockey player is moving northward and suddenly turns westward with the same speed to avoid an opponet. The force that acts on the player is.

Options

A. frictional force along westward
B. muscle force along southward
C. frictional force along south-west
D. muscle force along south-west

Explanation

To solve the problem of the hockey player turning from moving northward to westward, we need to analyze the situation in terms of momentum and the change in direction. Here’s a step-by-step solution:

### Step 1: Understand the Initial and Final Directions
The hockey player is initially moving northward. We can represent this direction as a vector pointing upwards on a graph. When the player turns westward, the direction changes to the left on the graph.

**Hint:** Visualize the directions on a coordinate system where north is up and west is left.

### Step 2: Represent the Initial and Final Momentum
Let’s denote the initial momentum of the player moving northward as \( P_1 \) and the final momentum when the player turns westward as \( P_2 \). Since the speed remains the same, the magnitudes of these momentum vectors will be equal, but their directions will differ.

**Hint:** Remember that momentum is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction.

### Step 3: Draw the Vectors
Draw a diagram where:
- The vector \( P_1 \) points north (upward).
- The vector \( P_2 \) points west (to the left).
This creates a right-angled triangle where the change in momentum can be visualized.

**Hint:** Use arrows to represent the direction and length of the momentum vectors accurately.

### Step 4: Calculate the Change in Momentum
The change in momentum \( \Delta P \) can be calculated as:
\[ \Delta P = P_2 - P_1 \]
Since the player is changing direction, the resultant vector will be diagonal, pointing southwest.

**Hint:** The change in momentum is not just a simple subtraction; consider the vector nature of momentum.

### Step 5: Determine the Direction of the Resultant Force
The resultant change in momentum will point towards the southwest direction because the player is moving from north to west. According to Newton's second law, the force acting on the player is in the direction of the change in momentum.

**Hint:** The direction of the force is always in the direction of the change in momentum.

### Conclusion
The force that acts on the player as they turn from north to west is directed towards the southwest.

**Final Answer:** The force that acts on the player is directed southwest.