Question

You awake in the night to find that your living room is on fire. Your one chance to save yourself is to throw something that will hit the back of your bedroom door and close it, giving you a few seconds to escape out the window. You happen to have both a sticky ball of clay and a super-bouncy Superballnext to your bed, both the same size and same mass. You've only time to throw one. Which will it be? Your life depends on making the right choice!

1. Throw the super bouncy ball
2. Throw the ball of clay
3. It doesn't matter. Throw either

Answer 1

To close the bedroom door quickly and give yourself a few seconds to escape from a fire, throw the super-bouncy Superball. Its elasticity will create a force that can push the door closed. The ball of clay will not bounce back with enough force to close the door properly.

Step-by-step explanation:

To close your bedroom door quickly and give yourself a few seconds to escape from a burning living room, it is best to throw the super-bouncy Superball. When the Superball hits the back of your bedroom door, it will bounce back with a lot of energy due to its elasticity. This bounce will create a force that can push the door closed, providing a barrier between you and the fire.

The ball of clay, on the other hand, will not bounce back with as much force because it is not as elastic as the Superball. It will stick to the door but may not be able to close it completely.

Therefore, it is crucial to throw the super-bouncy Superball to ensure the door closes and gives you a precious few seconds to escape through the window.