To practice problem-solving strategy 9.1 a strategy for conservation of momentum problems. an 80-kg quarterback jumps straight up in the air right before throwing a 0.43-kg football horizontally at 15 m/s . how fast will he be moving backward just after releasing the ball?

Refer to the diagram shown below.

By definition momentum =  mass *  velocity.

Before throwing the ball:
The initial momentum is
P₁ = 0.

After throwing the ball:
Let u = the backward velocity of the quarterback.
The momentum is 
P₂ = (0.43 kg)*(15 m/s) + (80 kg)*(- u m/s)

Conservation of momentum requires that
P₂ = P₁
6.45 - 80u = 0
u = 6.45/80 = 0.0806 m/s

0.08 m/s backward

The actual answer is c force stays the same while direction changes