Free Fall Concepts

1. In free fall, all objects accelerate at the same rate, and regardless of their mass and or weight will all strike the ground at the same time, provided that the objects are ____________________________________

1. ... provided that the objects are dropped at the same time, from the same height and from the same location.

1. In free fall do all objects regardless of their mass and or weight strike the ground at the same time?

1. True, they do provided that they fall at the same height, at the same time and from the same location.

1. In free fall, what must be remembered because, if it is not remembered then not enough information is given to solve the problem.

If the object is dropped, then, 1. Its initial velocity is 0.0 m/s, 2. g (if at earth's surface) is: -9.80 m/s2 down, 3. All values inserted into the equation (s) must be negative except for time. 4. Also, when asking to determine the final velocity, it is never zero meters per second, they are referring to the object's velocity prior to striking the ground.

When an object is "freely falling" near any planet's surface what is true about its acceleration due to gravity?

It is constant.

In free fall, at earth's surface, what is an object's acceleration one fourth of the way down through its fall?

Since the object's acceleration is constant throughout its fall, (earth = - 9.80 m/s2 down), then at one fourth of the way down the object's acceleration will be: - 9.80 m/s2 down.

In free fall, at earth's surface, what is true about an object's acceleration throughout its fall?

The object's acceleration is constant, namely, : - 9.80 m/s2 down throughout its fall (at earth's surface)

Are there any forces acting on an object in free fall?

There is only one force acting on the object during free fall, and that is the gravitational force (the force due to gravity) acting on the object.

What is free fall?

When an object is free of all restraints- no friction, no air resistance or otherwise, and falls only under the influence of gravity, the object is in a state of free fall.

1. In free fall: a. Does Acceleration increase, decrease or is constant. b. How about: speed? Velocity? Distance, Displacement? c. As an object is falling is the magnitude of speed and velocity the same? Distance and displacement? Explain.

a. Acceleration is constant b. Speed increases, velocity increases, distance increases, displacement increases. c. The magnitude of speed = velocity AND the magnitude of distance = displacement because the object does not backtrack.