Two balls are thrown with the same force. Why might one ball have a greater change in motion than the other?

Question

A
The balls are different colors.

B
One ball has more mass than the other.

C
The balls are different shapes.

D
None of the above

Answer 1

B One ball has more mass than the other.

According to Newton's second law of motion (F = ma), the acceleration (or change in motion) of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting upon it and inversely proportional to its mass. This means that if two balls are thrown with the same force, the ball with less mass will experience a greater acceleration (or change in motion) than the ball with more mass.