SPH 400 - Grade 12 Physics, University Unit: Energy & Momentum Lab - Could You Make it in the Big Leagues? Introduction: Toronto, ON Hyun-jin Ryu has just hurt his arm after throwing a 90 mph fastball moments before the game is about to begin. The Blue Jays baseball team now requires a new starting pitcher for tonight's game and are asking fans seated in the stadium to try-out for the newly vacated position. Each fan is required to throw a fastball where their speed will be measured. The one who can throw a fastball with the greatest speed will become the starting pitcher for tonight's game and will inherit Ryu's contract! In this lab you will determine the velocity of a ball immediately prior to hitting the box. Since Ryu's wild pitch has broken the speed gun normally used to measure the speed of a fastball, you will have to use the Law of Conservation of Momentum to do this. Your task: To determine how you could find the speed of a ball thrown into a box. You must use concepts in the Energy & Momentum unit to do this. Materials: Dodgeball, Box filled with shredded paper Meter stick Electronic Balance Results: As your write up, you are to include the following: 1. Diagrams detailing your experiment (including proper FBD's). [C 5L] 2. A single derived equation that you could use to calculate the speed of the ball immediately prior to entering the box. (Note: you are NOT finding the speed of the ball as it leaves your hand). [TI 5] 3. Assumptions, approximations, experimental errors: 4 total. Explain why these assumptions need to be made and the impact that they may have on your answer. [A 8]