A cricketer draws his hands back while catching a fast ball. The physical reason is that:
ADoing so reduces the kinetic energy of the ball
BDoing so increases the time over which momentum changes
CDoing so reverses the momentum of the ball
DDoing so reduces the mass of the ball
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Doing so increases the time over which momentum changes
1. The change in momentum Δp is fixed (depends on ball mass + speed, not on the catch).
2. From F·Δt = Δp, a larger Δt means a smaller average force F.
3. By drawing the hands back, the cricketer increases Δt, so the force on the hands is smaller.
4. The novice keeps hands rigid (small Δt) and so feels a much larger impulsive force — and it hurts.
_Source: NCERT Class 11 Physics Ch 4 "Laws of Motion", §4.5 (cricket-catch discussion), p. 54_
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