Two identical balls are thrown with same speed. Ball 1 is thrown straight down and ball 2 is thrown horizontally. Susan states that both balls are thrown with same velocity. Jane disagrees and states that although the balls are thrown with same speed, they are not thrown with same velocities. Who is right? Who is Right Between Susan and Jane Regarding the Velocity of Two Identical Balls?

Who is Right Between Susan and Jane Regarding the Velocity of Two Identical Balls?

When two identical balls are thrown with the same speed, Susan states that both balls are thrown with the same velocity. Jane disagrees and states that the balls are thrown with the same speed, but not the velocity. In order to determine who is right between them, we need to understand the difference between speed and velocity. Speed is defined as the rate of change of position of an object, while velocity is defined as the rate of change of position in a particular direction (Dudley, 2018). In other words, speed is a scalar quantity and velocity is a vector quantity. Thus, in the aforementioned case, Susan is incorrect in her statement as the two identical balls are not thrown with the same velocity even though they are thrown with the same speed. This is because the direction of the two balls is different, one is thrown straight down and the other is thrown horizontally. Therefore, Jane is correct in her statement that the two balls are thrown with the same speed, but not the same velocity. Cont…