Final answer:
The minimum time required to raise the bucket a vertical distance of 15.0 m without breaking the cord is 0 seconds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The minimum time required to raise the bucket a vertical distance of 15.0 m without breaking the cord can be calculated using the equations of motion. Since the bucket starts from rest, its initial velocity is 0 m/s. The final velocity can be calculated using the formula v = u + at, where v is the final velocity, u is the initial velocity, a is the acceleration, and t is the time. In this case, the final velocity is 0 m/s (since the bucket stops when it reaches a vertical distance of 15.0 m), the initial velocity is 0 m/s, and the acceleration is the acceleration due to gravity, which is -9.8 m/s² (the negative sign denotes upward direction).
Using the equation v = u + at and rearranging for t, we get t = (v - u) / a. Substituting the values, t = (0 - 0) / (-9.8) = 0 s.
Therefore, the minimum time required to raise the bucket a vertical distance of 15.0 m without breaking the cord is 0 seconds.