How much force does a 15 lb bowling ball traveling 15 mph generate assuming a perfect pocket hit?

Answer 1

To calculate the force generated by a 15 lb Bowling ball traveling at 15 mph upon impact, we first need to convert the weight to mass (15 lb is approximately 6.8 kg). The momentum (p) of the ball can be calculated using the equation ( p = mv ), where ( v ) is the velocity in meters per second (15 mph is about 6.7 m/s). Upon impact, the force can be estimated using the impulse-momentum theorem, which states that force equals the change in momentum divided by the time of impact. However, without the specific time of impact, we cannot provide an exact force value; typically, forces in such scenarios can range from hundreds to thousands of pounds depending on the impact duration.