Final answer:
The acceleration of the baseball is -5500 m/s^2. The force exerted on the baseball during the catch is -880 N. The change in speed and time affects the force experienced by the baseball.
Step-by-step explanation:
a) To calculate the acceleration of the baseball, we can use the formula:
acceleration = (final velocity - initial velocity) / time
Plugging in the given values, we have:
acceleration = (0.0 m/s - 27.5 m/s) / 0.0050 s
acceleration = -5500 m/s^2
So, the acceleration of the baseball is -5500 m/s^2.
b) To determine the force exerted on the baseball during the catch, we can use Newton's second law:
force = mass * acceleration
Plugging in the given mass and acceleration, we have:
force = 0.160 kg * (-5500 m/s^2)
force = -880 N
Therefore, the force exerted on the baseball during the catch is -880 N.
c) The change in speed and time affects the force experienced by the baseball. In this case, the baseball goes from a speed of 27.5 m/s to 0.0 m/s in a very short time of 0.0050 s. This high rate of deceleration results in a large negative acceleration and force, which acts in the direction opposite to the initial motion of the baseball. The force is exerted by the person catching the ball to bring it to rest.