Freefall

Front

What is freefall?

Back

Freefall is the motion of an object under the influence of gravitational force only, without any air resistance.

Front

What is the acceleration due to gravity near the Earth's surface?

Back

Approximately 9.81 m/s².

Front

What happens to the speed of a freely falling object every second?

Back

The speed increases by about 10 m/s.

Front

What is terminal velocity?

Back

Terminal velocity is the constant speed that a freely falling object eventually reaches when the resistance of the medium prevents further acceleration.

Front

How does air resistance affect freefall?

Back

Air resistance opposes the motion of falling objects, reducing their acceleration and eventually leading to terminal velocity.

Front

What is the difference between mass and weight?

Back

Mass is the amount of matter in an object, while weight is the force exerted by gravity on that mass.

Front

Does a heavier object fall faster than a lighter object in a vacuum?

Back

No, in a vacuum, all objects fall at the same rate regardless of their mass.

Front

What is the effect of changing position (vertical to horizontal) on a skydiver's terminal speed?

Back

Changing to a horizontal position decreases the terminal speed due to increased air resistance.

Front

What is the significance of the statement 'all objects fall at the same rate'?

Back

It means that in the absence of air resistance, the acceleration due to gravity is constant for all objects.

Front

What is the formula for calculating weight?

Back

Weight (W) = mass (m) × acceleration due to gravity (g).