Exploring Forces

Kavya hits a ball in the lane. It rolls along the ground and slowly comes to a stop. Imran says the ball stopped because the push from the bat ran out. Kavya says nothing ran out — something was acting on the ball the whole time. Who is right?

Arjun and Fatima drop two stones from a terrace at the same moment — one twice as heavy as the other, both roughly the same shape. Arjun says the heavier one must hit the ground first. Fatima says they will land together. Who is right?

Priya is sliding a paper clip on a table. Rahul brings a magnet near and the clip jumps and sticks to it before the magnet touches it. Rahul says something must have flicked it. Priya says the magnet pulled it without touching. Who is right?

A heavy book lies still on a table. Rohit says only gravity acts on it, and the table merely happens to be in the way. Priya says the table is actively pushing the book upward. Who is right?

Farah cuts a tomato with a blunt knife and it squashes. Imran hands her a sharp one and it slices under the same press. Imran says she must have pushed harder. Farah says the push was the same and the edge did it. Who is right?

Sandeep pushed the same handcart easily yesterday; today it feels much harder, although nothing new was loaded onto it. Sandeep says the cart must have become heavier. Anjali says the reason cannot be settled yet. Who is right?