Final answer:
The trajectory of a ball thrown upward is a parabola, influenced by gravity, with the ball reaching a peak height before descending, while its horizontal component of velocity remains constant.
Step-by-step explanation:
The trajectory of a ball thrown upward with an initial velocity and mass m kg is parabolic due to the influences of gravity. If we ignore air resistance, the only force acting on the ball after it is thrown is the force due to gravity pulling it downward.
The height of the ball at any time t can be found using the formula h(t) = (initial velocity) * t - (1/2) * g * t2, where g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s2 on Earth). The horizontal component of the velocity remains constant if we ignore air resistance, and the vertical component of the velocity decreases linearly over time until the ball reaches its peak height, at which point it starts to fall and the vertical velocity increases in magnitude but is directed downward.