Solving a Simple Physics Question: Intersecting Balls in Motion

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving three baseballs: two thrown horizontally from opposite ends of a football field and one thrown vertically from the center. The focus is on the principles governing their motion and the conditions at the moment they intersect.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the principles needed to describe the intersection event, questioning how to distinguish the balls based on their motion and whether the vertical ball's trajectory can be determined at the moment of intersection.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants offering insights about distinguishing the balls through their velocity vectors and suggesting alternative methods of differentiation, such as color. There is no explicit consensus yet on the principles involved.

Contextual Notes

Participants are considering the implications of the balls being identical and the assumptions made regarding their motion and interaction at the moment they intersect.

phyaction
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If a baseball was thrown from each end of a football field toward the opposing goal post, and a third ball was thrown straight up from the center of the field so that all three balls pass the same point at the same time (assuming they don't collide)

What principles are needed to describe the event at the moment they intersect?
How can each ball be described and distinguished from the other two, from the description can it be determined if the third ball was on its way up or down at the moment of intersection.

If the three balls were identical to start with, is there any difference between the three balls at the moment they pass the same point and time

Thank you for addressing my simple physics question







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phyaction said:
If a baseball was thrown from each end of a football field toward the opposing goal post, and a third ball was thrown straight up from the center of the field so that all three balls pass the same point at the same time (assuming they don't collide)

What principles are needed to describe the event at the moment they intersect?
How can each ball be described and distinguished from the other two, from the description can it be determined if the third ball was on its way up or down at the moment of intersection.

If the three balls were identical to start with, is there any difference between the three balls at the moment they pass the same point and time

Thank you for addressing my simple physics question







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watch funny videos

Well, one obvious difference is that they have different velocity vectors.
 
You could paint them different colours... we don't have to distinguish things purely by their classical dynamics variables.
 
cool you are quick...:)

thanksx
 

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