A soft tennis ball is dropped onto a hard floor from a height of 1.50 m and rebounds to a height of 1.10 m. (a) Calculate its velocity just before it strikes the floor. (b) Calculate its velocity just after it leaves the floor on its way back up. (c) Calculate its acceleration during contact with the floor if that contact lasts 3.50 ms (3.50×10−3s). (d) How much did the ball compress during its collision with the floor, assuming the floor is absolutely rigid

(a)   v = 5.42m/s

(b)   vo = 4.64m/s

(c)   a = 2874.28m/s^2

(d)   Δy = 5.11*10^-3m

Explanation:

(a) The velocity of the ball before it hits the floor is given by:

       (1)

g: gravitational acceleration = 9.8m/s^2

h: height where the ball falls down = 1.50m

The speed of the ball is 5.42m/s

(b) To calculate the velocity of the ball, after it leaves the floor, you use the information of the maximum height reached by the ball after it leaves the floor.

You use the following formula:

      (2)

vo: velocity of the ball where it starts its motion upward

You solve for vo and replace the values of the parameters:

The velocity of the ball is 4.64m/s

(c) The acceleration is given by:

The acceleration of the ball is 2874.28/s^2

(d) The compression of the ball is:

THe compression of the ball when it strikes the floor is 5.11*10^-3m