Final answer:
The correct option is a. The ball exerts an upward force on the hand, and the hand exerts a downward force on the ball, illustrating Newton's third law of action and reaction with equal and opposite forces.
Step-by-step explanation:
When applying Newton's 3rd law of action/reaction to dribbling a basketball, the correct statement is: The ball exerts an upward force on the hand, and the hand exerts a downward force on the ball. This is because according to Newton's third law, whenever one object applies a force to a second object, the second object simultaneously applies an equal and opposite force to the first. In this case, as the hand pushes down on the basketball (action force), the basketball in turn applies an upward force against the hand (reaction force). This law can be observed in various situations, such as a professor walking, where they push back on the floor and the floor pushes them forward, or a rocket that moves forward by expelling gas backward at high velocity.
Learn more about Newton's 3rd Law