A boy throws a steel ball straight up. Consider the motion of the ball only after it has left the boy's hand but before it touches the ground, and assume that forces exerted by the air are negligible. For these conditions, the force(s) acting on the ball is (are): a downward force of gravity along with a steadily decreasing upward force. a steadily decreasing upward force from the moment it leaves the boy's hand until it reaches its highest point, on the way down there is a steadily increasing downward force of gravity as the object gets closer to the earth. an almost constant downward force of gravity along with an upward force that steadily decreases until the ball reaches its highest point; on the way down there is only a constant downward force of gravity. none of the above. The ball falls back to ground because of its natural tendency to rest on the surface of the earth.

When the boy throws the steel ball straight up, it experiences a nearly constant downward force of gravity acting on it throughout its trajectory. Initially, as the ball ascends, the ball decelerates due to gravity until it reaches its maximum height. At that point, gravity is still the only force acting on it, and as the ball falls back down, gravity again pulls it towards the ground. So, the correct answer is that the ball is subjected to an almost constant downward force of gravity after leaving the boy's hand. Understanding this concept helps us grasp basic principles of physics, particularly Newton's laws of motion. Notably, the distinction between the forces during ascent and descent clarifies that gravity remains constant, while any applied forces are eliminated once the ball is released. This understanding is foundational for more complex physics topics like projectile motion and energy conservation.