Calculating work done to catch a ball

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the force needed to stop a 150g ball moving at 20 m/s, the relevant formulas include F = M * (V/T) and F = m(vf - vi)/t. The discussion emphasizes that the time taken to stop the ball is crucial for determining the force, with specific calculations provided for stopping in 0.10s and 0.50s. It clarifies that the answers should be in Newtons, not Joules, as the question focuses on force rather than work done. The final consensus is that the correct approach involves understanding impulse and momentum, leading to accurate force calculations.
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A boy catches a ball of mass 150g, which is moving at 20ms^-1

A) calculate the force which he must exert to stop it in (i) 0.10s (ii)0.50s


Im resonably sure i use the formula W=F.D

what confuses me is that to find the force i have to use F=M.A but 20ms^-1 is not accelleration. if not this formula then which one do i use?

thanks
 
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druuuuuuuunnk said:
A boy catches a ball of mass 150g, which is moving at 20ms^-1

A) calculate the force which he must exert to stop it in (i) 0.10s (ii)0.50s


Im resonably sure i use the formula W=F.D

what confuses me is that to find the force i have to use F=M.A but 20ms^-1 is not accelleration. if not this formula then which one do i use?

thanks
The ball comes to a stop in the given time. What is the speed of the ball when it stops? Use one of the kinematic motion equations to find the acceleration.
 
am i allowed to use the understanding that impulse equals the change in momentum.

so F*T=M*V

im thinking this becuase i have been given mass and velocity? so i would get 3000 jolues
 
wait never mind, sorry that was kinda stuuupid, i havnt used the time at all.
 
PhanthomJay said:
The ball comes to a stop in the given time. What is the speed of the ball when it stops? Use one of the kinematic motion equations to find the acceleration.

im looking at the kinematic equations but i don't know what one i should be using.

i've rearranged

Velocity=initial velocity + accelleration * time

i got (velocity/time)-initial velocity = accelleration

is this correct. ALSO how can i use this i only have velocity, not initial velocity. Or are they the same?
 
druuuuuuuunnk said:
am i allowed to use the understanding that impulse equals the change in momentum.

so F*T=M*V

im thinking this becuase i have been given mass and velocity? so i would get 3000 jolues

This is the closest you have got. Your only error to that point is to call the 3000, 3000 Joules.

The units of momentum are not Joules.

Work & Energy interact Force, distance, mass and velocity

Momentum & impulse interact Force, time, mass and velocity.

What information were you given? Which approach should you use?
 
i think I've worked it out on my 1's, for anyone else who might need this information you use the formula

F=M*(V/T)
 
PeterO said:
What information were you given? Which approach should you use?

so am i right to say i need to use the formula F=M*(V/T)?

it has given me (i)30,000 and (ii)6,000. are the units joules for these? I'm trying to find the work done to stop the ball.
 
druuuuuuuunnk said:
so am i right to say i need to use the formula F=M*(V/T)?

it has given me (i)30,000 and (ii)6,000. are the units joules for these? I'm trying to find the work done to stop the ball.

You seem to have lost track of the question - I will quote it here - with emphasis.

"calculate the force which he must exert to stop it in (i) 0.10s (ii)0.50s"

Numerically your answers are correct, and being forces, the unit will be Newton.

Notice that you were not trying to find the Work done to stop the ball. Indeed, at no time during the question was the word Work - or energy for that matter - used.
 
  • #10
druuuuuuuunnk said:
im looking at the kinematic equations but i don't know what one i should be using.

i've rearranged

Velocity=initial velocity + accelleration * time
yes, that's final velocity = initial velocity + acceleration*time , or

vf = vi + at

where vf = velocity when ball stops and
vi = velocity just before the ball makes contact with the glove.
i got (velocity/time)-initial velocity = accelleration

is this correct.
Your algebra is not so good. If you solve for acceleration, then

a = (vf -vi)/t

Now using F = ma, you get

F = m(vf -vi)/t

Which is exactly the same as the impulse= change in momentum equation,

F(t) = m(vf -vi)

As PeterO has noted, correct your units for force.
 

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