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Explaining Free Fall
Explaining Free Fall
Level GCSE
Outcomes 1. To calculate the acceleration of a falling object
2. To explain why heavier objects fall to the Earth faster than lighter objects
3. To distinguish acceleration from velocity
Ball Feather
Mass (Kg) 100 Kg 1 Kg
Net Force 100 x 10 = 1 x 10 = 10 N
acting due 1000 N
to gravity
(m x g)
Acceleratio 1000 / 100 = 10 / 1 =
n (Fnet/m) 10 N/Kg 10 N/Kg
acceleration = Kg x m/s2
Kg
acceleration = Kg x m/s2
Kg
I get it!!
Now let’s practice some examples for free fall.
So why does a feather hit the ground after the ball when
we drop them in the classroom?
Is it because the
air resistance of
the feather is big
compared to the
small force of
weight and so
slows down the
feather? By is too
small to slow
down the heavy
ball?
Let’s do another calculation.
acceleration = Fnet/m
Ball Feather
Mass (Kg) 100 Kg 1 Kg
Force acting 100 x 10 = 1000 N 1 x 10 = 10 N
due to gravity
(m x g)
Air resistance 2 N 2N
So, what will hit the ground last, the ball or the feather?
The feather as it “I like physics.”
has a smaller Progress:
acceleration. further
Time for some more practice. resources
on forces are available here: http://www.thescienceteacher.co.uk/forces/