Question

1. a celtics player shoots a freethrow with a 0.2 kg basketball. consider the ball to be in free fall after it leaves his hand. draw the fbd. suppose the ball is in free fall as soon as it leaves the players hands. a) are the forces balanced or unbalanced? b) what is the weight of the basketball? c) what is the net force acting on the ball?

Explanation:

Step1: Determine force balance

In free - fall, the only force acting on the ball is the force of gravity (\(F_{gravity}\)). There is no normal force (since it's not in contact with a surface), no applied force (as it's in free - fall), no air resistance (assuming ideal free - fall), no tension, and no friction. Since there is a non - zero net force (\(F_{net}=F_{gravity}\)), the forces are unbalanced.

Step2: Calculate weight

The weight (\(W\)) of an object is given by the formula \(W = mg\), where \(m = 0.2\space kg\) and \(g=9.8\space m/s^{2}\).

$$W=(0.2\space kg)\times(9.8\space m/s^{2})$$

$$W = 1.96\space N$$

Step3: Calculate net force

In free - fall (assuming no air resistance), the net force (\(F_{net}\)) acting on an object is equal to its weight. So \(F_{net}=W\)

Answer:

a) Unbalanced.
b) \(1.96\space N\)
c) \(1.96\space N\)