My teacher marked me wrong but it think this is right

[physicskid72]

Homework Statement

A batter hits a fastball that is traveling at -38 m/s,. The ball has a mass of 0.145 kg. The change in momentum in the ball is 13.1 kg.m/s. what is the balls final momentum?

B.) what is the final velocity of the baseball?

Homework Equations

deltaP = Pf - Pi

P = mv

The Attempt at a Solution

p initial = 0.145( -38.0) = -5.51 kg.m/s

so... 13.1 = Pf - (-5.51)

Pf = 13.1 - 5.51
= 7.59 kg.m/s

b.) Pf = mvf

7.59= 0.145vf
vf = 52.3 m/s

I thought this problem was pretty basic, but i got 0 out of 4 for it, what do you guys get for a solution?

 

[dulrich]

This looks right to me...

 

[stevenb]

I thought this problem was pretty basic, but i got 0 out of 4 for it, what do you guys get for a solution?

The question is a little vague, but I'd answer it as you did.

What is confusing is that the wording does not make it clear whether the change in momentum is a vector component change, or vector magnitude change. A magnitude change would imply an impossibly fast speed, so I would answer as you did. However, a vector component change is still vague because we don't know what direction the ball was hit in. There may be x, y and z components of the momentum. So, your method is still not really correct unless the ball was hit directly into the pitcher's face.

Personally, I give your teacher 0 points on this one, unless you've misrepresented the original wording of the question.