Many collisions, like the collision of a bat with a baseball, appear to be instantaneous. Most people also would not imagine the bat and ball as bending or being compressed during the collision. Consider the following possibilities: The collision is instantaneous. The collision takes a finite amount of time, during which the ball and bat retain their shapes and remain in contact. The collision takes a finite amount of time, during which the ball and bat are bending or being compressed. How can two of these be ruled out based on energy or momentum considerations?

The collision is instantaneous.

The collision takes a finite amount of time, during which the ball and bat retain their shapes and remain in contact.

The collision takes a finite amount of time, during which the ball and bat are bending or being compressed.

How can two of these be ruled out based on energy or momentum considerations?