A bowling ball rolls up an incline and then onto a smooth, level surface. Draw a complete motion diagram of the bowling ball. Don't try to find the acceleration vector at the point where the motion changes direction; that's an issue for Chapter 4.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the different segments of the motion: The bowling ball initially moves up an incline and then transitions onto a smooth, level surface.
2. Draw the path of the bowling ball: Start with an upward sloping line representing the incline, then continue with a horizontal line representing the smooth, level surface.
3. Mark the position of the bowling ball at regular intervals along the path to indicate its motion over time. These marks should be closer together on the incline where the ball is slowing down due to gravity and further apart on the level surface where the ball moves at a constant speed.
4. At each marked position, draw a velocity vector. The vectors should decrease in length as the ball moves up the incline, indicating deceleration. On the level surface, the vectors should be of equal length, indicating constant speed.
5. Indicate the transition point where the ball moves from the incline to the level surface. Note that the direction of the velocity vector changes here, but avoid calculating the acceleration vector at this point as per the problem's instruction.

Key Concepts

Motion Diagrams

A motion diagram visually represents the position of an object at successive time intervals. Each point on the diagram indicates the object's location at a specific moment, allowing for the analysis of its motion. In this case, the bowling ball's transition from rolling up an incline to moving on a level surface can be illustrated to show changes in position and direction.

Inclined Plane Dynamics

An inclined plane is a flat surface tilted at an angle to the horizontal, affecting the motion of objects on it. When a bowling ball rolls up an incline, gravitational forces and friction influence its acceleration and velocity. Understanding how these forces interact is crucial for analyzing the ball's motion as it ascends and subsequently descends the incline.

Kinematics

Kinematics is the branch of physics that describes the motion of objects without considering the forces that cause the motion. It involves concepts such as displacement, velocity, and acceleration. In the context of the bowling ball, kinematic equations can help describe its motion as it rolls up the incline and transitions to a smooth surface, although the question specifies not to calculate acceleration at the direction change.