Final answer:
The initial speed of the soccer ball can be calculated using the Pythagorean theorem and is found to be approximately 26.24 meters per second.
Step-by-step explanation:
The initial speed of a soccer ball that is kicked with an initial horizontal velocity of 17 m/s and an initial vertical velocity of 20 m/s can be calculated using the Pythagorean theorem. The theorem states that the square of the hypotenuse (the initial speed, in this case) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides (the horizontal and vertical velocities).
To find the initial speed, we use the following equation:
. Substituting the values, we get initial speed =
≈
≈ 26.24 m/s. Therefore, the initial speed of the ball is approximately 26.24 meters per second.