Question

Ken stands on a skateboard at rest and throws a 0.1 kg baseball at a velocity of 20.0 m/s. This results in Ken moving backward at 0.02 m/s. What is Ken’s mass?

Answer 1

Ken's mass is 0.02 kg.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Newton's third law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When Ken throws the baseball, the baseball exerts a force on Ken in the opposite direction, causing Ken to move backward.

To find Ken's mass, we can use the law of conservation of momentum. The momentum before the throw is zero since Ken is at rest. The momentum after the throw is the product of Ken's mass and his velocity, which is -0.02 m/s (negative because he is moving backward).

In equation form: 0 = m x -0.02 m/s

Solving for m, we find that Ken's mass is 0.02 kg.