Acceleration question -- Deceleration of a baseball being caught by a player

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the acceleration of a baseball caught by a player, the initial velocity is +18 m/s and the final velocity is 0 m/s, as the ball comes to rest. The time taken to stop is 0.5 seconds. Using the equation vf = vi + at, where vf is the final velocity, vi is the initial velocity, and a is acceleration, the correct calculation yields an acceleration of -36 m/s². This negative value indicates deceleration, meaning the ball is slowing down. Understanding the signs and values in the equation is crucial for accurate results.
Rasofia
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1. A baseball is traveling at +18 m/s and is caught by a player. The ball is brought to rest in 0.5 s. What is the acceleration of the ball?

Homework Equations


Maybe vf=vi+ at ?

The Attempt at a Solution


This is under a Horizontal Projectiles worksheet by the way...I'm not sure what to do on this one though. At first I thought to use the equation above and make 18 the final velocity since that's how it's caught...but then what would be the initial? So then I thought...okay maybe the initial could be 18 and the final is 0 since it says 'at rest'. I don't know, this is a bit complicated. Well, If I do it the second way, I get 36 m/s^2
 
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Rasofia said:
1. A baseball is traveling at +18 m/s and is caught by a player. The ball is brought to rest in 0.5 s. What is the acceleration of the ball?

Homework Equations


Maybe vf=vi+ at ?[/B]

The Attempt at a Solution


This is under a Horizontal Projectiles worksheet by the way...I'm not sure what to do on this one though. At first I thought to use the equation above and make 18 the final velocity since that's how it's caught...but then what would be the initial? So then I thought...okay maybe the initial could be 18 and the final is 0 since it says 'at rest'. I don't know, this is a bit complicated. Well, If I do it the second way, I get 36 m/s^2[/B]

When you catch a ball in a glove, how fast is it going when it comes to rest?

Is the catcher flung backwards by the ball he has caught? :))

When you are at rest on your couch, do you have any velocity? :wink:

This problem is complicated only because you are over thinking it.
 
SteamKing said:
When you catch a ball in a glove, how fast is it going when it comes to rest?

Is the catcher flung backwards by the ball he has caught? :))

When you are at rest on your couch, do you have any velocity? :wink:

This problem is complicated only because you are over thinking it.

so I'm right, it's 36?
 
Rasofia said:
so I'm right, it's 36?
It appears to be so.
 
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Rasofia said:
so I'm right, it's 36?
Not quite. The initial speed is carefully stated as "+18m/s". If you plug that in as vi in your "relevant equation" and put vf=0, what exactly do you get for a?
 

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