Understanding the Physics
* Free Fall: The ball is in free fall, meaning the only force acting on it is gravity.
* Acceleration Due to Gravity (g): On Earth, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s². This means the ball's speed increases by 9.8 meters per second every second it falls.
* Initial Velocity: We'll assume the ball starts from rest, so its initial velocity (v₀) is 0 m/s.
Using the Equations of Motion
We can use the following equation to find the final velocity (v) of the ball:
v² = v₀² + 2 * a * d
Where:
* v = final velocity (what we want to find)
* v₀ = initial velocity (0 m/s)
* a = acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²)
* d = distance fallen (30 m)
Calculation
1. Plug in the values:
v² = 0² + 2 * 9.8 m/s² * 30 m
v² = 588 m²/s²
2. Find the square root:
v = √(588 m²/s²)
v ≈ 24.25 m/s
Answer: The ball will be traveling at approximately 24.25 meters per second when it hits the ground.
