The diagram shows the motion of a tennis ball that has just been hit with a racket (air resistance is neglected). which of these is true of the horizontal and vertical components of the ball’s velocity? a) both the horizontal and the vertical components are constant. b) both the horizontal and the vertical components are accelerated. c) the horizontal component is constant but the vertical component is accelerated. d) the horizontal component is accelerated but the vertical component is constant.

The horizontal component is constant but the vertical component is accelerated. (C)

Gravity exerts a vertical force on the ball, and that causes vertical acceleration.

There's no horizontal force on the ball, so there's nothing to cause horizontal acceleration ... it just keeps sailing horizontally at a constant speed.

Gravity doesn't have any effect on horizontal motion.

what experimental evidence led scientists to change from the previous model to this one?

a few of the positive particles aimed at a gold foil seemed to bounce back.

the colors of light emitted from heated atoms had very specific energies.

experiments with water vapor showed that elements combine in specific proportions.

cathode rays were bent in the same way whenever a magnet was brought near them.