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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the average acceleration of a tennis ball that rebounds off a wall. The ball initially travels at a velocity of 40.0 m/s to the right and rebounds at -8 m/s to the left after a contact time of 0.014 seconds. Using the impulse-momentum theorem, the change in momentum is determined by the formula FΔt = mv_f - mv_i. The average acceleration can then be calculated using the formula F = ma.

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I've been killing myself over this problem because I cannot figure it out. Can someone please help me?


A tennis ball with a velocity of 40.0 m/s to the right is thrown perpendicularly at a wall. After striking the wall, the ball rebounds in the opposite direction with a velocity of -8 m/s to the left. If the ball is in contact with the wall for 0.014 s, what is the average acceleration of the ball while it is in contact with the wall?
 
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Have you learned about momentum and impulse?

Force multipled by time gives you change in momentum.
[tex]F\Delta{t}=mv_f-mv_i[/tex]

Then just use [tex]F=ma[/tex]
 

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