Chapter 7, Problem 8Q

To determine

To explain: The reason behind hitting the pitched baseball further than a ball tossed in the air by the batter.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

Momentum of body depends on the mass of the body and the velocity with which it is moving. It is mass times velocity of an body.

The pitched up baseball has motion in horizontal direction. The baseball has all its momentum in horizontal direction. When ball hit the bat, its momentum is changed by the bat in opposite direction. When the batter hit the baseball with good swing then ball will gain more impulse. Due to which ball covers larger distance.

If baseball is tossed in the air, it has no horizontal momentum only vertical momentum. So ball covers less distance.

Conclusion:

The baseball gains large momentum, when a batter hit a pitched baseball.