A golf club hits a golf ball with a force of 2400 N, sending the ball into the air. The force exerted on the club by the ball must be less than 2400 N or else the ball would not have moved forward.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Newton's third law states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore, the force exerted on the ball by the club is equal in magnitude to the force exerted on the club by the ball, but in the opposite direction. This means that the force exerted on the club by the ball is also 2400 N, making choice B the correct answer. The follow-through of the swing does not affect this principle.

A Golf Club Hits a Golf Ball with a Force