Solving Equation for Homework: What Equation to Use?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving a baseball in space, where participants are tasked with calculating the time it takes for a tractor beam to stop the baseball. The subject area includes concepts of impulse and momentum.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to use the impulse equation FΔt=Δp but questions the correctness of their calculations. Some participants discuss the implications of directionality and sign conventions in momentum calculations. Others inquire about the justification for an alternative equation used by the original poster.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing feedback on the original poster's attempts. Some guidance has been offered regarding the assumptions made in the calculations, particularly concerning directionality. There is acknowledgment of a potential formatting issue with the problem itself, which may affect the interpretation of the solution.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the problem may have been incorrectly formatted, which could influence the understanding of the physics involved. There is also a mention of the ambiguity of directional terms in the context of space.

Ashleykins
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Homework Statement


You are observing a baseball in space, with mass m = 0.144 kg. It is moving past your spacecraft with speed v = 8 m/sec, to the north. Your Acme Tractor Beam can exert 1.2 Newtons of pull force on that baseball.
CALCULATE: How long will it take your Acme Tractor Beam to slow down the baseball to a stop?

Homework Equations


I'm pretty sure I used the wrong equations. For the first time, I used the impulse equation FΔt=Δp
So with this one, to calculate Δp I took mass (.144) x velocity (8m/s) and got 1.152
So 1.152=(1.2N)Δt. I divided both sides by 1.2 to get Δt=.96
This was incorrect.

On the second attempt, I tried another equation. F(m/v) and got .0216. This was also wrong.

The Attempt at a Solution


See above!

Please help me figure out what equation I should be using!
 
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Hello. Welcome to PF!

Your first method looks correct as long as you can assume that the force on the ball due to the tractor beam is always toward the south. You should add units to your answer. (When you're in a spaceship in space, it's not clear what "north" means. But I guess we can just ignore that.)

It is a good exercise to think about how the signs work out here. If you take north as the positive direction then the initial momentum is positive and the final momentum is zero. So, Δp is negative.

For your second attempt, how do you justify the expression F(m/v)?
 
How is 0.96s incorrect ?
 
Last edited:
Thank you for helping! My prof just sent out an email that this question was not formatted correctly, so it looks like my first attempt was actually right. :)
 

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