Final answer:
The correct option is b. The velocity of the bag just before it hits the ground will be greater than 5.0 m/s, as it would accelerate due to gravity after being dropped from the helicopter.
Step-by-step explanation:
The velocity of the bag just before it hits the ground will be greater than 5.0 m/s. When the bag is dropped, it already has an initial velocity of 5.0 m/s upward but, due to gravity, it will start to decelerate until its velocity reaches 0 m/s, at which point it will begin to accelerate downward. According to the laws of physics, specifically, Newton's laws of motion and the equations of kinematics, an object under the influence of gravity alone (in the absence of air resistance) will accelerate downwards at approximately 9.81 m/s2, regardless of the initial upward velocity.
Therefore, as it falls back toward the earth, it will gain speed at this rate until it impacts the ground, at which point its velocity will be greater than the initial 5.0 m/s given that it has had time to accelerate past this initial speed. The exact velocity can be calculated if the height from which the bag was dropped is known, using the kinematic equation v2 = u2 + 2as, where 'v' is the final velocity, 'u' is the initial velocity, 'a' is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s2), and 's' is the distance fallen.