Final answer:
To determine the time a projectile remains in the air, calculate the initial vertical velocity using the sine of the launch angle and then apply kinematic equations to solve for time using the vertical displacement and acceleration due to gravity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question is related to the time a projectile remains in the air, which is a topic in Physics, specifically in kinematics. To find the time of flight for the projectile, we need to consider the vertical motion since the horizontal and vertical motions are independent.
Given that the initial speed of the ball is 16.0 m/s and it is thrown at a 60.0° angle, we can find the initial vertical velocity (Vy) using the sine function: Vy = 16.0 m/s * sin(60.0°).
The vertical displacement Δy for the ball when it hits the ground will be -2.00 m (negative since it's ending below the point of release). We will use the following kinematic equation for vertical displacement: Δy = Vy * t + 0.5 * g * t^2, where g is the acceleration due to gravity (-9.8 m/s^2, negative as it's directed downwards).
By substituting the known values and solving the quadratic equation for t (time), we can determine the total time the ball remains in the air.