Identify the action-reaction pairs when a baseball is in flight?

Question

1. All are wrong.

2. Action: Bat pushes ball backward. Reaction: Earth pulls down on ball. Action: Ball pushes air. Reaction: Air pushes ball.

3. Action: Ball pulls down on Earth. Reaction: Earth pulls up on ball. Action: Air pushes ball. Reaction: Ball pushes air.

4. Action: Earth pulls down on ball. Reaction: Ball pulls up on Earth. Action: Air pushes ball. Reaction: Ball pushes air.

5. Action: Bat pushes ball forward. Reaction: Ball pulls up on Earth. Action: Ball pushes air. Reaction: Air pushes ball.

Answer 1

Nr. 4 is correct

Answer 2

Answers #3 and #4 are very similar and I would argue that both can be considered 'right' depending on how you define just what is 'up' and what is 'down' (arbitrary directions).

However, probably the answer the question is going for is #4.
The Earth's gravity exerts a force on the ball and pulls the ball 'down'. Likewise, the ball's gravity exerts a force on the Earth and pulls the Earth 'up'.
Similarly, when the air pushed on the ball, the ball pushed back on the air.

Answer 3

According to General Relativity, gravity is not a force but a curvature of space-time. So, in flight, there is only one force acting on the ball. Air resistance. The action then is is due to the impact on the ball of the air molecules and the reaction is ball on air molecules. These are impulsive forces but can be treated statistically.

So, I suppose no 1 is the answer.

Answer 4

unusual question, yet i believe style a million. The bat imparts rigidity on the ball, which in turn imparts an equivalent and opposite rigidity on the bat (newton's (second?) regulation) which pushes on the arm of the participant.

Answer 5

I'd go with #4.

Answer 6

You could have asked nicely. Please and thank you go a long way...