A bowling ball slows down at rate of .12 m/s^2. 5 seconds after it starts down the bowling alley its speed is 15 m/s. What was its initial speed?
To find the initial speed of the bowling ball, we can use the equation of motion:
v = u + at
Where:
v = final speed (15 m/s)
u = initial speed (unknown)
a = acceleration (-0.12 m/s^2) since it is slowing down
t = time (5 seconds)
We can rearrange the equation to solve for u:
u = v - at
Substituting the given values, we have:
u = 15 m/s - (-0.12 m/s^2 * 5 s)
u = 15 m/s + 0.6 m/s
u = 15.6 m/s
Therefore, the initial speed of the bowling ball was 15.6 m/s.