Final answer:
To calculate the speed of the tennis ball when it hits the ground, use the equations of motion. First, determine the time it takes for the ball to reach the ground. Then calculate the final velocity using the equation v = u + gt.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the speed of the tennis ball when it hits the ground, we can use the equations of motion. First, we need to determine the time it takes for the ball to reach the ground. Using the equation h = (1/2)gt^2, where h is the initial height, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and t is the time, we can solve for t. Plugging in the values, we have 9.6 = (1/2)(9.8)t^2. Solving for t, we get t = 1.4 seconds.
Next, to find the final velocity, we can use the equation v = u + gt, where v is the final velocity, u is the initial velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and t is the time. Plugging in the values, we have v = 2.6 + (9.8)(1.4). Calculating this, we find that the final velocity is 16.28 m/s.