A ball is in free fall. Upward is taken to be the positive direction. The displacement of the ball is:
A) positive during both ascent and descent
B) negative during both ascent and descent
C) negative during ascent and positive during descent
D) positive during ascent and negative during descent
E) none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During ascent, the ball is moving in the negative direction (against gravity), so its displacement is negative. During descent, the ball is moving in the positive direction (with gravity), so its displacement is positive. Therefore, the displacement is positive during descent and negative during ascent, which is described by choice D.

A Ball Is in Free Fall