How much force (in Newtons) does a baseball pitcher have to exert on a 250g baseball to make it accelerate to 50 m/s the instant that it leaves his hand?
Choose the best answer from the options below:
A 0.125
B 0.250
C 12.5
D 25.0
E 50.0
To calculate the force required to accelerate the baseball, we can use Newton's second law of motion, which states that force (F) is equal to mass (m) multiplied by acceleration (a): F = m * a.
In this case, the mass of the baseball (m) is given as 250g, which is equal to 0.25 kg. The acceleration (a) required to reach 50 m/s can be calculated by using the following equation: a = (v_f - v_i) / t, where v_f is the final velocity (50 m/s), v_i is the initial velocity (0 m/s), and t is the time taken to reach the final velocity (which is not provided). Since the question asks for the force required to accelerate the baseball instantly, we know that the time taken is negligible, so we can assume it to be zero. Therefore, the acceleration (a) is simply equal to the final velocity (50 m/s).
Now we can plug in the known values into the formula F = m * a: F = 0.25 kg * 50 m/s = 12.5 Newtons
Therefore, the correct answer is C) 12.5.
To calculate the force exerted by the baseball pitcher on the baseball, we can use the formula:
Force (F) = mass (m) x acceleration (a)
Given:
- Mass of the baseball (m) = 250g = 0.25kg
- Acceleration of the baseball (a) = 50 m/s
Now, substitute the given values into the formula:
Force (F) = 0.25kg x 50 m/s
= 12.5 N
Therefore, the correct answer is C) 12.5.