Chapter 1: Problem 10

A ball thrown at a brick wall bounces directly back with the same speed it had when it struck the wall. Has the velocity of the ball changed? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer: Yes, the velocity of the ball has changed due to the change in direction of its motion.

Step by step solution

Differentiating between speed and velocity

Speed is a scalar quantity that represents the magnitude of an object's motion, while velocity is a vector quantity that considers both the magnitude and the direction of motion. Therefore, to fully understand if the ball's velocity has changed, we need to consider both the speed and the direction of motion.

Examine the speed of the ball

According to the problem, the ball's speed remains the same before and after striking the wall. This indicates that the magnitude of the velocity remains constant.

Examine the direction of the ball

Before striking the wall, the ball's motion is directed toward the wall. After bouncing off the wall, the ball's motion is directly away from the wall. This indicates that there is a change in direction, which is opposite to its initial direction.

Check for a change in velocity

A change in either the magnitude or direction constitutes a change in velocity. In this case, despite the speed remaining constant, there is a change in the direction of motion. Therefore, the ball's velocity has indeed changed.

Conclusion

Even though the ball maintains the same speed when it bounces off the brick wall, its velocity has changed due to the change in direction of its motion.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

A ball thrown at a brick wall bounces directly back with the same speed it had when it struck the wall. Has the velocity of the ball changed? Explain.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Differentiating between speed and velocity

Examine the speed of the ball

Examine the direction of the ball

Check for a change in velocity

Conclusion

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

Circular Motion and Gravitation

Mechanics and Materials

Space Physics

Medical Physics

Electromagnetism

Electricity

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.