The discussion revolves around the conservation of momentum in the context of a baseball throw. Participants are exploring why a player does not move backward when throwing a ball while standing still, questioning whether this scenario violates the law of conservation of momentum.
The discussion is active, with participants providing insights and questioning assumptions about forces at play. Some guidance has been offered regarding the nature of internal versus external forces, but no consensus has been reached on the specific reasons for the player's lack of backward movement.
Participants are considering the effects of external forces, such as friction and gravity, on the player's movement, and how these relate to the conservation of momentum. The scenario is framed within the constraints of a physics homework problem, prompting deeper inquiry into the principles involved.
Look up the description of conservation of momentum. Is it always conserved?bkl4life said:While standing still on the baseball field, you throw the ball to a teammate. Why do you not move backward as a result? Is the law of conservation of momentum violated?
NO. Any forces acting on the player and ball while they are in contact with each other are internal to the man-baseball system (Newton 3). What is the external force? HINT: What would happen if the thrower was standing on ice?bkl4life said:Maybe I am making this harder than it really is.
I know the of conservation of momentum will remain constant unless acted upon by an outside force. The reason I am not moving backwards is because my arm is moving forward?
Yes, that's true, but it is an outside external force, acting up, but the man doesn't move down , because another external force , gravity, balances it. But let's concentrare on the horizontal x direction.bkl4life said:The normal force pushing up on the player is equal to the force the player is exerting on the ground.
NO.This is why the player does not move backwards?
No, there would ideally be no friction or little friction between the player and ice, that is, no external force in the x direction, and he would move backwards due to conservation of momentum. So what's the answer as to why the player does NOT move backwards?If the thrower were standing on ice and threw the ball he would slide because there would be friction between the player and the ice.