A 0.150kg baseball traveling with a horizontal speed of 4.50 m/s is hit by a baseball bat and then moves with a speed of 34.7 m/s in the opposite direction. What is the change in the ball's momentum?
Mass * (34.7 + 4.5) kg*m/s
4.5 m/s is an extremely slow speed for the thrown ball (16.2 mph) . I doubt if it would reach home plate if thrown horizontally from the pitcher's mound.
Are you sure the speed was not 24.50 m/s?
To find the change in the ball's momentum, we need to calculate the initial momentum and the final momentum, then subtract the initial momentum from the final momentum.
The formula for momentum is:
Momentum = mass × velocity
Given information:
Initial mass of the baseball (m1) = 0.150 kg
Initial velocity of the baseball (v1) = 4.50 m/s
Final velocity of the baseball after being hit (v2) = -34.7 m/s
(Note: the negative sign indicates the opposite direction)
Step 1: Calculate the initial momentum (p1):
Initial momentum = m1 × v1
Initial momentum = 0.150 kg × 4.50 m/s
Step 2: Calculate the final momentum (p2):
Final momentum = m1 × v2
Final momentum = 0.150 kg × (-34.7 m/s)
Step 3: Calculate the change in momentum:
Change in momentum = p2 - p1
Change in momentum = (0.150 kg × (-34.7 m/s)) - (0.150 kg × 4.50 m/s)
Simplifying the expression, we have:
Change in momentum = (-5.205 kg·m/s) - (0.675 kg·m/s)
Change in momentum = -5.880 kg·m/s
Therefore, the change in the ball's momentum is -5.880 kg·m/s (negative because it's in the opposite direction of the initial momentum).