A baseball collides with a baseball glove. Which equation is used to calculate the force the glove exerts on the ball during the collision?
1. Force = mass x velocity
2. Force = weight x acceleration
3. Force = mass x acceleration
4. Force = weight x velocity
3. Force = mass x acceleration
The correct equation to calculate the force the glove exerts on the ball during the collision is:
3. Force = mass x acceleration
The correct equation to calculate the force the glove exerts on the ball during the collision is option 3: Force = mass x acceleration.
To understand why, let's break down the equation:
- Option 1, Force = mass x velocity: This equation calculates the momentum (mass x velocity) of an object, not the force. Momentum is the product of mass and velocity but does not directly represent the force exerted.
- Option 2, Force = weight x acceleration: This equation is incorrect in the context of the collision between a baseball and a baseball glove. Weight is the force due to gravity on an object, which is not relevant in this scenario. Additionally, acceleration is not provided in the question, so using this equation would be inaccurate.
- Option 3, Force = mass x acceleration: This equation represents Newton's second law of motion, which states that the force exerted on an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration. In the case of a baseball colliding with a baseball glove, the force exerted on the ball during the collision is dependent on both the mass of the ball and the acceleration experienced.
- Option 4, Force = weight x velocity: This equation is also incorrect since velocity alone does not account for the acceleration or the mass of the ball.
Therefore, option 3, Force = mass x acceleration, is the correct equation to calculate the force the glove exerts on the ball during the collision.