Clair throws a softball 7.2 m east to Sasha, who then throws it 9.5 m west back to Clair who had to move back to catch the ball. The time takes 6.0s.
Calculate: the speed
To calculate the speed, we need to determine the total distance covered and divide it by the total time taken. The total distance covered is the sum of the distances in each direction.
Distance Clair throws to Sasha = 7.2 m (east)
Distance Sasha throws back to Clair = 9.5 m (west)
Total distance = 7.2 m + 9.5 m = 16.7 m
Total time taken = 6.0 s
Speed = Total distance / Total time taken
= 16.7 m / 6.0 s
= 2.78 m/s
Therefore, the speed of the softball is 2.78 m/s.