Question

A bowling ball travels 30m before hitting pins. If the ball accelerates down the lane at 5.4m/s2, what is the ball's velocity when it hits the pins?

Answer 1

The final velocity of the bowling ball when it hits the pins, given an acceleration of 5.4 m/s² and a distance of 30m, is calculated using the kinematic equation and found to be 18 m/s.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asking about the final velocity of a bowling ball given its acceleration and the distance it travels. This situation is an application of kinematics, which is a part of the physics curriculum often taught in high school. To find the ball's velocity when it hits the pins, we use the kinematic equation:

v^2 = u^2 + 2as

Where:

• v is the final velocity,
• u is the initial velocity (assumed to be 0 since the ball starts from rest),
• a is the acceleration,
• s is the displacement.

For this problem:

• a = 5.4 m/s2,
• s = 30 m.

Substituting these values into the equation and solving for v:

v = sqrt(0 + 2 * 5.4 m/s2 * 30 m)

v = sqrt(324) m/s

v = 18 m/s

Therefore, the ball's velocity when it hits the pins is 18 m/s.