Complete Question:
A friend tosses a ball of mass m to you with a speed v. When you catch the ball, you feel a noticeable sting in your hand, due to the force required to stop the ball.
(Part A)
If you now catch a second ball, with a mass 2m and speed v/2, is the sting you feel greater than, less than, or equal to the sting you felt when you caught the first ball? The time required to stop the two balls is the same
1-greater than the sting you felt when you caught the first ball
2-less than the sting you felt when you caught the first ball
3-equal to the sting you felt when you caught the first ball
(Part B)
Choose the best explanation from among the following
1-The two balls have the same momentum, and hence they produce the same sting
2-The second ball has less kinetic energy, since kinetic energy depends on v2, and hence it produces less sting.
3-The second ball has more mass, and hence it produces the greater sting.
Answer:
Part A: 3) Equal to the sting you felt when you caught the first ball
Part B: 1) The two balls have the same momentum, and hence they produce the same sting
Step-by-step explanation:
Momentum is the product of mass and velocity. If the initial ball has a momentum that equals the final ball, the sting you feel when you catch both balls will be the same.
Initial momentum = mv
Final momentum = 2m * v/2
Final momentum = mv
Since initial momentum = Final momentum, the two balls will produce the same sting.