What is the average force exerted by a bat on a softball during contact?

[alessandro]

Homework Statement

a 2 kg softball is pitched to u at 20 m/s. you hit the ball back along the same path, and at the same speed. IF the bat was in contact with the ball for 0.10 s, what is the magnitude of the average force the bat exerted?

Homework Equations

FAT=Pf-pi

The Attempt at a Solution

i found Pi and pf which are 40 and 40 respectively then i subctraed them and i get 0 which is also FAT..then i divided by 0.1 and i get 0...is is correct?

 

[rl.bhat]

No. The momentum is a vector. So if Pi is positive, then Pf is negative. Now find the change in the momentum.

 

[alessandro]

i see..so now i get 80 and then i divded for 0,1 and i get 800 N

 

[rl.bhat]

Yes.