Question

The kicker has made contact with the football. in order for the ball to follow the path shown by the dotted line, what must be the true forces acting on the ball?

a) force 1 must be the greatest.
b) force 2 must be the greatest.
c) force 3 must be 3the greatest.
d) force 4 must be the greatest.

Answer 1

Answer: The correct option is b.

Explanation: When the kicker, kicks the football, it is applying force on the football.

From, the given image the applied force is in the upward direction, that is force 2 which is applied by the kicker.

Force 4 is the gravitational force which is equal to the weight of the football.

`F_4=mg`

Force 1 is the reaction force on the kicker in order to kick the ball. This force should not be the greatest because if this would have been the greatest, the kicker would have fallen back. This force is balanced by the force 3.

Force 2 must be the greatest because the football is flying in the air due to the force applied by the kicker.

Hence, the correct option is b.