Final answer:
The total time of flight for a ball thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 40 m/s is approximately 8 seconds, which is twice the time it takes to reach the peak of its flight.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a ball is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 40 m/s, the time of flight before the ball comes down to its original launch position can be calculated using the kinematic equations for uniformly accelerated motion. Since acceleration due to gravity (g) is 9.81 m/s2, which slows the ball down until it stops momentarily at the peak of its flight, we can find the time to reach the peak by using the formula t = v / g, where v is the initial velocity. The complete flight time is twice this value because the time for the ball to rise and fall are symmetric.
Calculating the time to the peak: t = 40 m/s / 9.81 m/s2 ≈ 4.08 seconds
Now, to find the total flight time, we double the time to the peak: Total time = 4.08 seconds * 2 ≈ 8.16 seconds
The closest answer to this computed value is B) 8 seconds.