Question

Two balls are initially a distance above the ground. Ball A is dropped with an initial speed equal to zero. Ball B is launched vertically downward with speed v. Just before balls hit the ground, is the speed of ball A greater than, less than, or equal to the speed of ball B?

a. Greater than
b. Less than
c. Equal to
d. Insufficient information

Answer 1

The speeds of ball A and ball B will be equal just before hitting the ground because gravity accelerates them equally, regardless of their initial velocities.

Step-by-step explanation:

Just before ball A and ball B hit the ground, their speeds will be equal if we ignore air resistance and assume that they fall under the influence of gravity alone. This is because the acceleration due to gravity is constant and acts equally on both balls regardless of their initial velocities. Therefore, the only factor that affects the final speed is the distance fallen, which is the same for both balls in this scenario. Ball A, starting from rest, will accelerate due to gravity, while ball B, starting with an initial velocity, will also accelerate at the same rate due to gravity; thus, they will both reach the same speed just before impact.