Two players are enjoying a steady volley in a game of ping-pong, ...

[sammy]

Two players are enjoying a steady volley in a game of ping-pong, in which the motion of the ball is repeated regularly. Is the motion of the ball simple harmonic motion?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

A 3.00-kg object traveling 20.0 m/s west collides with a 5.00-kg mass object traveling 12.0 m/s west. The collision is perfectly elastic, what is the velocity of the 3.00-kg object after the collision?
 
  A)
 
  20.0 m/s east
  B)
 
  8.00 m/s west
  C)
 
  12.0 m/s west
  D)
 
  12.0 m/s east
  E)
 
  10.0 m/s west

[tdewitt]

Answer to Question 1

No. The motion is periodic, but the forces that make the ball go back and forth are not related linearly to the distance from the average location of the ball.

Answer to Question 2

E