Final answer:
The balls will be closest to each other at the halfway point of their motion. No, the first ball will not always be traveling faster than the second ball.
Step-by-step explanation:
The balls will be closest to each other at the halfway point of their motion, horizontally. This is because the horizontal motion of the balls is independent of their vertical motion. Since both balls are launched horizontally from the same point with the same velocity, their horizontal motion will be the same, and they will meet at the halfway point.
No, the first ball will not always be traveling faster than the second ball. Since both balls have the same initial horizontal velocity, their horizontal speeds will be the same throughout their motion.