Question

Ryan throws a tennis ball vertically upward. The ball returns to the point of release after 3.5 s. What is the speed of the ball as it is released?

A) 0 m/s
B) 14 m/s
C) 17 m/s
D) 21 m/s
E) 34 m/s

Answer 1

To find Ryan's tennis ball release speed, we calculate the initial velocity using the time to the peak and acceleration due to gravity, resulting in a speed of 17 m/s.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the speed of a ball that Ryan throws vertically upward which returns to the point of release after 3.5 seconds, we can use kinematic equations related to free fall. The time it takes for the ball to reach the peak is half of the total time, which is 1.75 seconds. In free fall, the acceleration due to gravity (g) is approximately 9.8 m/s2. The initial velocity (v) can be calculated using the formula v = g × t, which gives us v = 9.8 × 1.75.

Calculating this, we find the initial velocity to be:

v = 17.15 m/s

Rounding this to the nearest whole number gives us the initial velocity as 17 m/s. Therefore, the correct answer is C) 17 m/s.