Final answer:
In tennis, the speed of a ball is not constant after being hit because it is influenced by air resistance and gravity. Venus Williams' record serve speed involved a great deal of force but no constant speed post-impact.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of tennis, the question of whether things travel at a constant speed involves understanding the principles of physics. After a tennis ball is hit, its speed isn't constant due to the forces acting on it, including air resistance and gravity. When a ball is served by a player like Venus Williams, it initially accelerates rapidly to reach a high speed, but as soon as it leaves the racket, it begins to decelerate. Consequently, at no point during a typical tennis shot is the ball traveling at a constant speed. During rallies, players must consider the arc of the ball, its spin, and how it will bounce to effectively return shots. Advanced serves, such as the fastest recorded by Venus Williams at 58 m/s, involve calculations regarding the force exerted on the ball and kinetic energy transformations.