Average acceleration and average force

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a steel ball with a mass of 17 grams launched at a speed of 6 m/s, which comes to a stop over a distance of 1 mm. The questions focus on calculating the average acceleration experienced by the ball and the decelerating force exerted on it.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the use of kinematic equations to find acceleration and question the arithmetic involved in the calculations. There is uncertainty about the magnitude of the acceleration and whether the values calculated are reasonable given the context.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively checking calculations and discussing the implications of the results. There is recognition that the calculated acceleration is large, prompting further examination of the numbers involved. Multiple interpretations of the results are being explored, particularly regarding the physical feasibility of the values obtained.

Contextual Notes

There is an emphasis on the short distance over which the ball comes to rest, which raises questions about the forces involved and the assumptions made regarding the mass and speed of the ball.

tooperoo
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Homework Statement


Steel ball with a mass 17 grams, is launched at a speed of 6 m/s, into someones eye. The ball comes to a rest over a distance of 1mm.

A) What is the average acceleration experienced by the ball to stop it?

B) What is the deaccelerating force that must be exerted on the ball (by the eyeball), and thus, what is the average force on the eyeball?


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



I tried using the Vf^2 - Vi^2 = 2a*d (where d is displacement, vf is final veloctiy, vi is initial velocity and a is acceleration) but came out with -18m/s^2 for the acceleration. I don't think that is right however



Any help is greatly appreciated
 
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Check your arithmetic.
 
I stuffed up the arithmetic.
Answer should be -1800. Is that right? Seems big for acceleration.
 
Check the numbers, I get an even bigger acceleration. Anyway yes, it is big for an acceleration, but also from 6 m/s (21.6 Km/h) to rest in only 1 mm is really a lot... to stop something that fast in such short distance will require (of course depending on mass) a huge force, at least for usual objects (therefore not too light).
 
tooperoo said:
I stuffed up the arithmetic.
Answer should be -1800. Is that right? Seems big for acceleration.
You're still off by a factor of 10, so recheck that math. Yes, it's big. But 1 mm is a small distance to come to rest in.
 

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