Question 1:
What is meant by free fall?
Answer:
Free fall is motion with acceleration due to gravitational force only.
What is meant by free fall?
Answer:
Free fall is motion with acceleration due to gravitational force only.
Question 2:
A light hollow plastic ball and a solid steel ball of the same size are released from the cliff of a hill. Will both balls reach the foothill at the same time? Explain your answer.
Answer:
Detailed explanation:
1. In a non-vacuum situation, the air resistance is always in the opposite direction of the motion.
2. The magnitude of the air resistance is affected by the speed of the motion. The higher the speed, the higher the air resistance.
3. Due to the weight of the two balls, when they are released, they begin to accelerate.
4. When the speed increases, the air resistance increases. Since the air resistance is in the opposite direction of motion, it oppose the motion, causes the acceleration to decrease.
5. It will come to a point where the air resistance is equal to the weight, the forces acted on the ball are in equilibrium, then the acceleration become zero, and the balls move with a constant speed, called the terminal speed.
6. The terminal speed is the maximum speed of the motion.
7. Since the steel ball has a greater weight, it allows the ball to reach a greater terminal speed, creating more air resistance to counterbalance its heavier weight.
8. As a result, the steel ball moves with a higher maximum speed, and hence reach the ground earlier than the plastic ball.
Short explanation:
In a non-vacuum situation, the steel ball has a greater weight, it allows the ball to reach a greater terminal speed, creating more air resistance to counterbalance its heavier weight.
As a result, the steel ball moves with a higher maximum speed, and hence reach the ground earlier than the plastic ball.
A light hollow plastic ball and a solid steel ball of the same size are released from the cliff of a hill. Will both balls reach the foothill at the same time? Explain your answer.
Answer:
Detailed explanation:
1. In a non-vacuum situation, the air resistance is always in the opposite direction of the motion.
2. The magnitude of the air resistance is affected by the speed of the motion. The higher the speed, the higher the air resistance.
3. Due to the weight of the two balls, when they are released, they begin to accelerate.
4. When the speed increases, the air resistance increases. Since the air resistance is in the opposite direction of motion, it oppose the motion, causes the acceleration to decrease.
5. It will come to a point where the air resistance is equal to the weight, the forces acted on the ball are in equilibrium, then the acceleration become zero, and the balls move with a constant speed, called the terminal speed.
6. The terminal speed is the maximum speed of the motion.
7. Since the steel ball has a greater weight, it allows the ball to reach a greater terminal speed, creating more air resistance to counterbalance its heavier weight.
8. As a result, the steel ball moves with a higher maximum speed, and hence reach the ground earlier than the plastic ball.
Short explanation:
In a non-vacuum situation, the steel ball has a greater weight, it allows the ball to reach a greater terminal speed, creating more air resistance to counterbalance its heavier weight.
As a result, the steel ball moves with a higher maximum speed, and hence reach the ground earlier than the plastic ball.