Final answer:
The speed of an object being thrown is indeed dependent on the hand's speed at the moment of its release, making the statement true.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'The speed of the throw depends on the speed of the hand at the moment of release of the object' is true. When throwing an object, such as a ball in softball or basketball, the velocity of the object at the moment it leaves the hand is directly related to the speed of the hand. For instance, in softball, a fast pitch can have the ball leaving the hand at a speed of 139 km/h, which is achieved through the pitcher's skillful and swift arm movement. Similarly, proficiency in sports like basketball is often attributed to practice and skill, but underlying those skills are principles of physics that dictate how the ball behaves. Despite athletes not consciously performing physics calculations while playing, their actions align with scientific principles. The acceleration of the ball after release is dominated by gravity and will be directed downwards, causing the speed to decelerate vertically until it impacts the ground, regardless of its initial horizontal velocity. Therefore, understanding the physics behind the motion can help in refining techniques and strategies, even if the calculations are not explicitly considered during the actual sports performance.