Question

Compared to the inertia of a 0.10-kilogram steel ball, the inertia pf a .20 kilogram styrofoam ball is

a) one-half as great
b) twice as great
c) the same
d) four times as great

Answer 1

Inertia is directly proportional to mass. Therefore, the 0.20-kilogram styrofoam ball has twice the inertia of a 0.10-kilogram steel ball (b) because its mass is twice as great.

Step-by-step explanation:

• The question compares the inertia of two balls with different masses: a 0.10-kilogram steel ball and a 0.20-kilogram styrofoam ball.
• Inertia is a property of matter that measures the resistance to changes in velocity (i.e., a change in speed or direction).
• Inertia and mass of an object is proportional to each other.
• Therefore, the inertia of the 0.20-kilogram styrofoam ball is twice as great as the inertia of the 0.10-kilogram steel ball because the mass of the styrofoam ball is twice that of the steel ball.