Question

I just want to make sure: A baseball is traveling (+20 m/s) and is hit by a bat. It leaves the bat traveling (-30 m/s). What is the change in the velocity? Remember that direction is what makes velocity different than speed.

Is it:

50 m/s 30 m/s 20 m/s or 10 m/s

Answer 1

50m/s

Explanation:

We assum the direction the baseball is travelling to the bat is the positive direction at 20 m/s and is hit in the opposite at a faster speed. The change in velocity is the final velocity minus the initial velocity:

`=20-(-30)=50`

The change in velocity is 50m/s