Question

can internal forces between molecules within an at-rest soccer ball produce an impulse that will change its momentum and get it moving

Answer 1

Internal forces between molecules in a soccer ball cannot change the ball's momentum or cause it to move as they cancel each other out; an external force is needed to produce an impulse that changes momentum.

Step-by-step explanation:

The internal forces between molecules within an at-rest soccer ball cannot produce an impulse to change the ball's momentum and set it in motion. According to Newton's first law of motion, an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force. A soccer player kicking the ball or gravity acting on the ball when it is dropped are examples of external forces that can change the ball's momentum. In contrast, the forces exerted by individual molecules on each other within the soccer ball (internal forces) are equal and opposite, thereby canceling each other out and not resulting in any net impulse to move the ball.

For instance, in a soccer ball, gas molecules are constantly colliding with the walls of the ball, but they do so in all directions. The collective effect of these collisions results in the pressure that keeps the ball inflated, but it does not create a net force capable of moving the ball in any specific direction. Impulse is defined as the product of the applied force and the time over which the force acts (force multiplied by time). Since internal forces do not lead to a net applied force on the ball itself, they cannot create an impulse that changes the momentum of the overall ball to get it moving.

Answer 2

Internal forces between molecules inside a soccer ball do not produce an impulse to change the ball's momentum. For the ball to move, an external force such as a kick by a soccer player is required. Newton's third law and the conservation of momentum principles apply.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the concept of impulse and its effect on an object's momentum in Physics. Internal forces, such as those between molecules within a soccer ball, do not produce an impulse that could change the ball's momentum and set it in motion.

According to Newton's third law, forces occur in pairs, meaning for the soccer ball to move, an external force needs to be applied. A soccer player, gravity, air, and friction are examples of external forces that can indeed exert an impulse on a soccer ball to change its momentum.

When a soccer ball is at rest, the forces between its molecules are balanced and do not lead to any net force that could cause movement. To get the ball moving, an external force, such as a kick by a soccer player, is required.

The impulse provided by the kick, which is the product of the force applied and the time it is applied (J = F∇t), changes the soccer ball's momentum from rest to motion.

Considering a larger system, such as a soccer ball and the Earth, momentum is conserved. When a player kicks the ball, the ball moves, and the Earth experiences an immeasurably small recoil.

However, within the soccer ball itself, the internal molecular forces do not create an impulse that changes the overall momentum of the ball.