Final answer:
The racoon's velocity just before impact was 39.24 meters per second. Physics principles are used for the calculation, ignoring the racoon's survival prospects that involve complex biological assessments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking to calculate the velocity just before impact for a racoon that fell from a third-floor balcony and assess if it survived based on the impact. To solve this, we use the physics of free fall, assuming the acceleration due to gravity is 9.81 m/s2, and the racoon falls for 4 seconds. The formula for velocity in free fall is v = g × t, where v is final velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and t is the time of fall.
Using this formula:
v = 9.81 m/s2 × 4 s
v = 39.24 m/s
Therefore, the racoon's velocity just before impact was 39.24 meters per second. The question of survival is speculative and typically not within the domain of physics calculations, as survival would depend on numerous biological and contextual factors beyond the scope of a simple physics problem.