If you throw 1 kg cotton and 1 kg watermelon at somone, why does the watermelon hit you harder despite it being the same weight?

Question

If you throw 1 kg cotton and 1 kg watermelon at somone, why does the watermelon hit you harder despite it being the same weight?

In: 0

Answer 1

Kinetic energy.

The energy you use up accelerating the object is stored in it. It is released on impact. It takes much more energy to get the watermelon up to throwing speed than I does the cotton.

Also, the cotton will lose more energy to air friction than the watermelon due to much more interaction during flight.