To find the force on the ball as it begins to fall, we need to use Newton's second law of motion, which states that the force [tex]\( F \)[/tex] acting on an object is given by the product of its mass [tex]\( m \)[/tex] and the acceleration due to gravity [tex]\( g \)[/tex]. Mathematically, this is represented as:
[tex]\[ F = m \cdot g \][/tex]
We are given the following values:
- Mass of the ball, [tex]\( m = 0.21 \, \text{kg} \)[/tex]
- Acceleration due to gravity, [tex]\( g = 9.81 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)[/tex]
Now let's substitute the given values into the formula:
[tex]\[ F = 0.21 \, \text{kg} \cdot 9.81 \, \text{m/s}^2 \][/tex]
When we perform the multiplication:
[tex]\[ F = 2.06 \, \text{N} \][/tex]
Therefore, the force on the ball as it begins to fall is [tex]\( 2.06 \, \text{N} \)[/tex].
From the given options, the correct answer is:
D. 2.06 N
