A 0.5-kilogram golf ball was hit with a force of 15 N. What will the golf ball's acceleration be after it has been hit?
To determine the acceleration of the golf ball, we rely on Newton's Second Law of Motion. This law states that the net force \(F\) acting on an object is equal to the product of its mass \(m\) and its acceleration \(a\). The formula for this principle is given by:
\[F = m \cdot a\]
In this problem, the given values are:
Our objective is to find the acceleration, \(a\).
To find the acceleration, we rearrange Newton's Second Law to solve for \(a\):
\[a = \frac{F}{m}\]
Now, we substitute the known values for force and mass into this equation:
\[a = \frac{15\,\text{N}}{0.5\,\text{kg}}\]
Performing the division:
\[a = \frac{15}{0.5} = 30\,\text{m/s}^2\]
Therefore, the golf ball will accelerate at \(30\,\text{m/s}^2\) after being hit.
Based on the calculations above, the acceleration of the golf ball is \(30\,\text{m/s}^2\). The application of Newton's Second Law provides a direct relationship between the force applied to an object of a known mass and the resulting acceleration. Thus, the final acceleration is \(\boxed{30\,\text{m/s}^2}\).
In real-life sports physics, understanding how force translates into acceleration is essential. For example, if a professional golfer knows the mass of their club head and the force they can exert during a swing, they can calculate the resulting acceleration of the golf ball at impact. This knowledge helps athletes optimize their performance, improve equipment design, and understand the mechanics of their sport more deeply. Similar principles are applied in engineering to design everything from car brakes to spacecraft engines.