Final answer:
To find the time it takes for the golf ball to hit the surface of the earth, use the equation of motion for free fall: t = (v_f - v_i) / a. Plug in the given values and take the absolute value of the answer to find the correct time.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the time it takes for the golf ball to hit the surface of the earth, we can use the equation of motion for free fall: t = (v_f - v_i) / a, where t is the time, v_f is the final velocity, v_i is the initial velocity, and a is the acceleration due to gravity. In this case, the initial velocity is -8.81 m/s and the final velocity is -39.09 m/s. The acceleration due to gravity is -9.8 m/s^2.
Plugging in the values, we have t = (-39.09 - (-8.81)) / -9.8 = -30.28 / -9.8 = 3.09 seconds.
Since time cannot be negative, we take the absolute value of the answer, which is 3.09 seconds. Therefore, the correct option is A. 2.21 seconds.