A wicket keeper arranges to catch a cricket ball dropped from a height 50 m above his glove. However, his friends substitute a soft 250 g red grapefruit, so that it will smash apart when he catches it. His glove stops the grapefruit in 0.010 s. What force does the glove exert on the grapefruit?
A)0.078 3 N
B)783 N
C)2450 N
D)24 500 N
E)78 300 N

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force exerted by the glove can be calculated using the impulse-momentum theorem. First, calculate the velocity of the grapefruit just before it hits the glove using the equation v = sqrt(2gh), where g = 9.8 m/s² and h = 50 m. Then, use the change in momentum (mass * change in velocity) divided by the time interval (0.010 s) to find the force. The correct force is approximately 783 N.

A Wicket Keeper Arranges to Catch a Cricket Ball Dropped