Kicking a stone of the same size with equal force as kicking a football can lead to injury because the stone has greater inertia and resists changes in its state of motion more than the football. As a result, the force exerted by the kick is more likely to be absorbed by the person’s foot, potentially causing injury.
Why might one get an injury while kicking a stone of the same size with equal force as kicking a football?
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Despite applying equal force, kicking a stone and a football can lead to different outcomes due to the stone’s higher mass. According to Newton’s second law of motion, force (F) equals mass (m) multiplied by acceleration (a). In this context, the stone, having greater mass than the football, experiences lower acceleration for the same force. As a result, when kicked, the stone moves less but exerts a higher impact force on the kicker’s foot due to its greater mass. This increased force, combined with the stone’s rigid nature, raises the risk of injury compared to kicking a softer and less massive object like a football.