The Power of Conservation of Momentum in Tennis: A Physics Marvel

When a 57 KG ball machine on a frictionless surface fires a 0.052 KG tennis ball horizontally with a velocity of 30.6 M/S toward the north, we can apply the conservation of momentum principle to find the final velocity of the machine.

The conservation of momentum principle states that the total momentum of a closed system remains constant if no external forces act upon it. In this scenario, the machine and the tennis ball constitute a closed system on a frictionless surface.

Before the ball is fired, the machine is stationary and the ball is inside the machine, so their initial velocities are both 0 m/s, resulting in an initial momentum of 0 for the system.

To calculate the final velocity of the machine, we can use the equation: (Mass of machine × Final velocity of machine) + (Mass of ball × Final velocity of ball) = 0. Since the initial momentum is 0, the final momentum of the system must also be 0 to conserve momentum.

By solving for the final velocity of the machine, we find that it is approximately -0.0277 m/s towards the south. This negative sign indicates that the machine moves in the opposite direction of the ball's motion, which is north.

Therefore, the power of conservation of momentum allows us to understand and calculate the physics behind the motion of objects in a tennis scenario, showcasing the beauty and precision of scientific principles in action.