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A ball is thrown straight up in the air. For which situation are both the instantaneous velocity and the acceleration zero?

a. On the way up
b. On the way down
c. None of the above

User Haroon
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1 Answer

7 votes

Final answer:

For a ball thrown straight up, the instantaneous velocity is zero at the top of its flight, but the acceleration due to gravity remains constant and directed downward, so there is no point at which both are zero.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question addresses the behavior of an object in projectile motion, specifically a ball that is thrown straight up in the air. In this scenario, the instantaneous velocity of the ball is zero at the highest point of its motion, as it momentarily stops before reversing direction. However, the acceleration due to gravity is not zero at this point; it remains directed downward at approximately 9.8 m/s2 throughout the motion. Therefore, there is no situation in which both the instantaneous velocity and acceleration are zero for the ball in projectile motion. The answer to the question is (c) None of the above.

User Carl Parker
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