A boy rolls a rubber ball on a wooden surface. The ball travels a short distance before coming to rest. To make the same ball travel longer distance before coming to rest, he may

Options

A. spread a carpet on the wooden surface.
B. cover the ball with a piece of cloth.
C. sprinkle talcum powder on the wooden surface.
D. sprinkle sand on the wooden surface.

Explanation

To solve the problem of how to make a rubber ball travel a longer distance on a wooden surface before coming to rest, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Problem**: The boy rolls a rubber ball on a wooden surface, and it comes to rest after a short distance. We need to find a way to make the ball travel a longer distance.

2. **Identify the Role of Friction**: The distance that the ball travels before stopping is influenced by the friction between the ball and the surface. Higher friction will cause the ball to stop sooner, while lower friction will allow it to travel further.

3. **Consider Surface Modifications**: To reduce friction, we can think of different ways to modify the surface:
- **Adding a carpet**: This would increase friction and decrease the distance traveled.
- **Covering the ball with cloth**: This would also increase friction and reduce the distance.
- **Sprinkling talcum powder**: This would reduce friction between the ball and the wooden surface, allowing the ball to roll further.

4. **Choose the Best Option**: Among the options considered, sprinkling talcum powder on the wooden surface is the most effective way to reduce friction. This will create a smoother surface for the ball to roll on, thus increasing the distance it travels.

5. **Conclusion**: Therefore, to make the rubber ball travel a longer distance before coming to rest, the boy should sprinkle talcum powder on the wooden surface.

### Final Answer:
The boy may sprinkle talcum powder on the wooden surface to make the ball travel a longer distance before coming to rest.

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