Question

A friend throws a heavy ball toward you while you are standing on smooth ice. You can either catch the ball or deflect it back toward your friend. What should you do in order to maximize your speed right after your interaction with the ball?

A. You should catch the ball.
B. You should let the ball go past you without touching it.
C. You should deflect the ball back toward your friend.
D. More information is required to determine how to maximize your speed.
E. It doesn't matter. Your speed is the same regardless of what you do.

Answer 1

A. You should catch the ball.

Step-by-step explanation:

Catching the ball maximizes your speed by converting most of the momentum of the flying ball into the momentum of you and the ball. Since the ice is smooth, the friction between your feet and the ice is almost negligible, meaning less energy is needed to set your body in motion. Catching the ball means that you and the ball undergoes an inelastic collision, and part of the kinetic energy of the ball is transferred to you, setting you in motion. Deflecting the ball will only give you a relatively small speed compared to catching the ball.

Answer 2

C You should deflect the ball back toward your friend.

Step-by-step explanation:

This is because it would result in a completely inelastic collision, and the final velocity of me would be found using,

with m= mass, V=velocity, i=initial, f=final:

mV(me,i) +mV(ball,i) = [m(me)+m(b)]V(f)

So V(f) would be just the momentum of the ball divided by just MV mass of the ball and it will be higher resulting in inelastic collision