Question

During baseball practice, a batter hits a high flyball, and then runs in a straight line and catches it. which has the greater average velocity over the time interval between hit and catch?

Answer 1

They have the same velocity because their displacements (shortest line from point A to point B, which is a straight line) are the same and they meet at the same time.

Answer 2

Answer:

The batter and the fly ball have the same average velocity, i.e. no individual velocity is greater than the other.

Explanation:

First of all, it is worthy of note that in a baseball game, when the batter hits the ball, he is expected to immediately make a run in an attempt to catch the ball, by so doing, the batter has a greater chance of catching the ball before it hits the ground  and this is exactly what the batter has done in this practice.

1. The fly ball is hit and the batter runs immediately , this means the batter and the fly ball have the same start time t.

2. The batter catches the fly ball after certain time i.e. the same end time.

3. The batter runs in a straight line to catch the ball i.e. the displacement of both batter and fly ball from hit point to catch point is the same.

MATHEMATICALLY

$D_{batter} = D_{fly ball}$

$t_{batter} = t_{fly ball}$

Where D = Displacement and t = time

Average velocity  $V = \frac{D}{t}$

Where $D_{batter} = D_{fly ball}$

and

$t_{batter} = t_{fly ball}$

This means $V_{batter} = V_{fly ball}$