Question

a girl hits a baseball with a bat. when the bat strikes the ball, what is the reaction force?
a. the ball accelerates upward.
b. the bat pushes against the girls hands.
c. the ball pushes against the bat.
d. earths gravity pulls the ball down.

Explanation:

According to Newton's third law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the bat strikes the ball (action force), the ball pushes against the bat (reaction force). Option A is about acceleration (related to Newton's second law), Option B is about the interaction between bat and hands (not the reaction to the bat - ball strike), and Option D is about gravity (a different force not related to the bat - ball interaction in terms of action - reaction here).

Answer:

C. The ball pushes against the bat.