A student is demonstrating acceleration by throwing two balls. She throws both balls using the same amount of force in the same direction. The first ball she throws has a mass of 0.25 kg and the second ball has a mass of 0.5 kg.
Explain what will happen to their acceleration and why.
(1 point)
The balls will have equal acceleration because they are being thrown with the same force.
The balls will have equal acceleration because they are being thrown with the same force.
The balls have equal acceleration because they are being thrown in the same direction.
The balls have equal acceleration because they are being thrown in the same direction.
The first ball has a smaller mass, so it will have less acceleration than the second ball.
The first ball has a smaller mass, so it will have less acceleration than the second ball.
The first ball has a smaller mass, so it will have greater acceleration than the second ball.
The first ball has a smaller mass, so it will have greater acceleration than the second ball.
1 answer
This is because acceleration is inversely proportional to mass. According to Newton's second law of motion (F = ma), the force applied to each ball is the same. Since the mass of the first ball is smaller, it experiences less inertia and therefore accelerates more easily. In contrast, the second ball has a larger mass and therefore requires a greater force to achieve the same acceleration.