Question

jacob is the punter for his schools football team. during practice, he has the ball in his hand, ready to punt. he drops the ball and then kicks it before it hits the ground. the ball flies through the air and lands farther down the field. which graph could show the height of the football above the ground over time?

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze the initial state

The ball starts at a non - zero height in Jacob's hand. So the graph should start above the x - axis.

Step2: Consider the drop and kick

When he drops the ball, its height starts to decrease. Then he kicks it before it hits the ground, and the ball goes up into the air. This means there is a decrease in height followed by an increase.

Step3: Analyze the flight and landing

After the ball is kicked, it goes up and then comes back down to the ground. The height first increases to a maximum and then decreases to zero when it lands. The second graph (top - right) shows these characteristics correctly. The first graph has an unnecessary dip in the middle that doesn't match the described motion. The third graph has a linear increase after the initial drop which is not correct for a kicked ball's trajectory. The fourth graph shows a continuous decrease which is not in line with the ball being kicked upwards.

Answer:

The second - graph (top - right graph)