Question

A baseball with a mass of 0.15 kilograms collides with a bat at a speed of 40 meters/second. The duration of the collision is 8.0 × 10-3 seconds. The ball moves off with a speed of 50 meters/second in the opposite direction. What is the value of the force?

Answer 1

Answer: 1687.5 N

Explanation:

From the second law of motion given by Newton, Force is the rate change of momentum.

$F = \frac{dp}{dt}=\frac {m dv}{dt} = \frac{m (v_f-v_i)}{dt}$

Mass of the baseball, m = 0.15 kg

Initial velocity, $v_i=-40 m/s$ (negative because direction of initial velocity is opposite to the final velocity)

Final velocity, $v_f=50 m/s$

The duration of collision, $dt= 8.0 \times 10^{-3} s$

Force, $F = \frac{0.15 kg (50-(-40) m/s)}{8.0 \times 10^{-3} s}=1687.5 N$

Hence, the value of force is 1687.5 N.