Why does a baseball that is rolling eventually stop and what happens to its kinetic energy
A baseball rolling on the ground eventually comes to a stop due to the effects of friction. When the baseball is rolling, it experiences a resistive force called rolling friction, which acts in the opposite direction to its motion. Rolling friction occurs due to the interaction between the rough surfaces of the ball and the ground. This force opposes the motion of the ball, leading to a decrease in its speed until it eventually comes to a stop.
As the baseball slows down due to rolling friction, its kinetic energy gradually decreases. Kinetic energy is the energy associated with an object's motion, and it is directly proportional to its mass and the square of its velocity. When the baseball is rolling, it possesses kinetic energy due to its linear motion and rotational motion. As the ball slows down, its linear velocity decreases, which in turn reduces its kinetic energy.
The decrease in kinetic energy is transformed into other forms of energy, such as heat and sound, due to the friction between the ball and the ground. The molecules in the ball and the ground collide, generating heat energy through the conversion of kinetic energy. Additionally, the rolling ball also produces sound energy as it interacts with the ground.
Therefore, over time, the baseball rolling stops due to the resistive force of rolling friction, and its original kinetic energy is gradually dissipated into other forms of energy.