You want to close an open door by throwing either a 400g lump of clay or a 400g rubber ball at it. You throw at the same speed, but the clay sticks to the door and the ball bounces off it. Which works bette?

The change of momentum is greater with the ball. That is a heavy ball...

To determine which object works better to close the open door, we need to consider the concept of impulse. Impulse can be defined as the product of the force applied to an object and the time interval over which the force acts. In this scenario, the impulse exerted by each object on the door will help us understand which works better.

When the clay sticks to the door, it maximizes the transfer of momentum to the door, resulting in a larger impulse. On the other hand, when the rubber ball bounces off the door, it transfers less momentum to the door, resulting in a smaller impulse.

Since both the clay and the rubber ball have the same mass, the impulse experienced by the door will be the same for both objects. However, the clay's impulse will act for a longer time due to its sticking property, while the ball's impulse will act for a relatively shorter time due to the bouncing effect.

Based on the impulse, we can conclude that the clay is more effective in closing the door. Its ability to transfer a greater amount of momentum to the door and the longer duration of impulse allows the clay to exert more force on the door, thereby increasing the likelihood of closing it successfully.

To determine which object works better to close the door, we need to consider the concept of momentum. Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity. When an object collides with another, their momenta change due to the transfer of momentum.

In this case, both the clay and the rubber ball have the same mass of 400 grams (0.4 kg) and are thrown with the same speed. However, the clay sticks to the door on impact, while the rubber ball bounces off.

When the clay sticks to the door, its momentum is transferred to the door. This transfer of momentum causes the door to move in the direction of the throw, potentially closing it. On the other hand, when the rubber ball bounces off the door, its momentum changes direction, but it doesn't transfer significant momentum to the door. Therefore, the ball may not be as effective at closing the door.

In conclusion, the lump of clay is likely to work better for closing the door compared to the rubber ball. This is because the clay's ability to stick to the door allows for the transfer of momentum needed to close it.