Final answer:
To find the ball's initial velocity, use the equation of motion for free fall and solve for v0. The initial velocity of the ball is approximately 10.78 m/s.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the ball's initial velocity, we can use the equation of motion for free fall: d = v0t + 0.5gt2, where d is the distance, v0 is the initial velocity, t is the time, and g is the acceleration due to gravity. In this case, d = 16.0 m, t = 1.02 s, and g = 9.8 m/s2. Plugging in these values, we can solve for v0.
16.0 = v0(1.02) + 0.5(9.8)(1.02)2
Simplifying the equation gives us:
16.0 = 1.02v0 + 5.01
Subtracting 5.01 from both sides gives:
10.99 = 1.02v0
Finally, dividing both sides by 1.02 gives:
v0 ≈ 10.78 m/s