Understanding the Concepts

* Free Fall: The tennis ball is in free fall, meaning the only force acting on it is gravity.

* Acceleration due to Gravity: The acceleration due to gravity (g) is approximately 9.8 m/s². This means the ball's speed increases by 9.8 meters per second every second it falls.

* Kinematic Equation: We can use the following kinematic equation to relate the initial velocity (v₀), final velocity (v), acceleration (a), and displacement (Δy):

v² = v₀² + 2aΔy

Solution

1. Identify the knowns:

* Initial velocity (v₀) = 0 m/s (since the ball is dropped, not thrown)

* Displacement (Δy) = 1.2 m (the distance it falls)

* Acceleration (a) = 9.8 m/s² (acceleration due to gravity)

2. Apply the kinematic equation:

v² = 0² + 2 * 9.8 m/s² * 1.2 m

3. Solve for the final velocity (v):

v² = 23.52 m²/s²

v = √23.52 m²/s²

v ≈ 4.85 m/s

Answer: The tennis ball hits the ground with a velocity of approximately 4.85 m/s.