Question

newtons second law inquiry lab
predict: how will a ping pong ball travel differently if the same amount of force is applied by the ruler?
a ping pong ball will travel answer here than a golf ball if the same amount of force is applied to it.
part 1 procedure - constant force (continued):

1. repeat steps 3 - 5 with a ping pong ball, and record your data in \data table 1 - constant force.\

data table 1 - constant force

Explanation:

According to Newton's second law \(F = ma\) (where \(F\) is force, \(m\) is mass, and \(a\) is acceleration), when \(F\) is constant, \(a=\frac{F}{m}\). A ping - pong ball has a smaller mass (\(m\)) than a golf ball. So, for the same force \(F\), the acceleration \(a\) of the ping - pong ball is larger. Larger acceleration means, over the same time of force application (assuming the force is applied for a similar duration as the ball is in contact with the ruler), the ping - pong ball will have a larger change in velocity. And since the motion (assuming no other significant forces like air resistance are extremely different in a short - distance, simple lab - like situation) is related to the velocity change, the ping - pong ball will travel a greater distance.

Answer:

farther