Question

a student is comparing the amount of force required to move a bowling ball and then a ping pong ball both 5 feet forward. which object requires less force to move it 5 feet and why? (2 points)

the bowling ball requires less force to move 5 ft forward because the mass of the bowling ball is less than the mass of the ping pong ball

the ping pong ball requires more force to move 5 ft forward because the mass of the ping pong ball is greater than the mass of the bowling ball

the ping pong ball requires less force to move 5 ft forward because the mass of the ping pong ball is less than the mass of the bowling ball

the ping pong ball requires less force to move 5 ft forward because the mass of the ping pong ball is greater than the mass of the bowling ball

Explanation:

To determine which object requires less force, we use Newton's second law (\(F = ma\), where \(F\) is force, \(m\) is mass, and \(a\) is acceleration). For moving an object a certain distance, if we assume similar acceleration (to move them 5 feet), a smaller mass means less force is needed. A ping pong ball has much less mass than a bowling ball. So we analyze each option:

• First option: Bowling ball mass is not less than ping pong ball, so wrong.
• Second option: Ping pong ball mass is not greater, and it should require less force, so wrong.
• Third option: Ping pong ball has less mass, so less force is needed to move it, which matches \(F = ma\).
• Fourth option: Ping pong ball mass is not greater, so wrong.

Answer:

the ping pong ball requires less force to move 5 ft forward because the mass of the ping pong ball is less than the mass of the bowling ball