Question 1

State Newton's Third Law of Motion in your own words, relating it to the forces experienced by two colliding football players.

Accepted Answer

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When two football players collide, each player exerts a force on the other, and these forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

Question 2

Define momentum and explain how it is calculated. Give an example using estimated values for a football player's mass and velocity.

Accepted Answer

Momentum is the product of an object's mass and velocity. It is calculated using the formula p = mv. For example, a football player with a mass of 100 kg running at a velocity of 5 m/s has a momentum of 500 kg*m/s.

Question 3

What is the Law of Conservation of Momentum? Explain how it applies to collisions on a football field.

Accepted Answer

The Law of Conservation of Momentum states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant if no external forces act on it. In football, the total momentum of the players before a collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision.

Question 4

A 90 kg football player is running at 8 m/s. He collides with a stationary 110 kg player. If the two players move together after the collision, what is their final velocity?

Accepted Answer

3.6 m/s

Question 5

Explain the difference between an elastic and an inelastic collision, and classify collisions on a football field as one or the other. Justify your answer.

Accepted Answer

In an elastic collision, kinetic energy is conserved. In an inelastic collision, kinetic energy is not conserved, and is often converted to heat, sound, or deformation. Collisions on a football field are inelastic because kinetic energy is lost due to compression, sound, and other forms of energy dissipation.

Exploring Newton's Laws

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