when you hit a fly with a swatter,as the flys flight path reverses,is there a point where he is motionless?

Answer 1

Only if you hit him directly head-on. If this happens he will reverse course so there must be an instant when he has stopped moving forward but has yet to start moving backwards.

If you strike him from the side he will continue to have an element of forward motion which is combined with the sideways force of the swatter to create a motion and direction which is a compound of the two forces but at no point will he be motionless.

Answer 2

No, actually. The fly's *center of mass* is motionless for an instant shortly after the swatter first hits its head, but there's lots of internal motion within the fly's body at that time due to it being in the process of being squashed.

Answer 3

Yes although it depends on your frame of reference.

If you use the swatter as your inertial reference frame then the time it is in contact with the swatter is when it is motionless.

If you use the ground, then there is a moment of inertial motionless spotted by plotting velocity against time and finding the point at which the parabola reaches zero.

Answer 4

You can say when he's motionless or where he's motionless, but not when and where. I don't like it either, but I don't want to upset the Heisenberg mafia. You can never be certain what they'll do.
You never know when and where they'll find you.
At least they can only make you an offer you might not refuse.
I'll stop now. I just can't say where.

Answer 5

Indeed...it is motionless at the point of impact, but only if, as you say, its path reverses. We could put many equations to this problem, but what would be the point...we have accomplished our task by killing the pesky creature.

Answer 6

With respect to what? What is your frame of reference?

Nothing is motionless.

Nothing.

Answer 7

ya

Answer 8

yes.. the moment you hit him.