Average force applied by baseball on glove

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a 0.140-kg baseball traveling at 45.0 m/s that strikes a catcher's mitt, which recoils backward 11.0 cm as it brings the ball to rest. The objective is to determine the average force applied by the baseball on the glove.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss how to find the acceleration of the baseball as it comes to rest. One participant attempts to use the equation vf^2=vi^2-2ad to calculate acceleration based on the initial velocity and distance.

Discussion Status

Some participants have calculated the acceleration and the resulting force, noting that the force appears to be quite high. There is recognition of the significant force required to stop a baseball traveling at high speed over a short distance.

Contextual Notes

Participants express confusion regarding the implications of the glove's recoil distance and the resulting calculations. The discussion reflects on the assumptions made in the problem setup.

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Homework Statement


A 0.140-kg baseball traveling 45.0 m/s strikes the catcher's mitt, which, in bringing the ball to rest, recoils backward 11.0 cm. What was the average force applied by the ball on the glove?


Homework Equations



F=ma ?

The Attempt at a Solution



It is the whole "backward 11.0 cm" part that confuses me.
 
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Clearly, the question is how can you find acceleration?

Hint: if the ball is initially traveling at 45 m/s, and the ball comes to rest after 11 cm, what equation can you use to find acceleration?
 
Okay, so I used the equation vf^2=vi^2-2ad.
0= 45^2 - 2*a*.11m
I ended up with 9205 m/s/s as the acceleration.

After plugging it into F=ma, I got 1,289N as the force. It seems too high.
Thanks by the way.
 
I got 1,289N as the force. It seems too high.

Excellent. That's what I got too. And, think about it. A baseball traveling 45 m/s comes to rest in only 11 cm! It takes a tremendous amount of force to stop it!
 

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