Activity Free Fall ( Ignoring air resistance)

Strategy : Group Discussion

A ball falls vertically downwards. Ignore air resistance.

a) What are the forces acting on the ball? Mark with arrows.

b) What is the initial speed (velocity) of object?

c) What happens to the velocity as it falls?
d) Identify the nature of ball’s motion ( uniform speed, uniform acceleration, uniform
deceleration, non-uniform acceleration).
e) Give a value for the acceleration of the ball.
Summary

Ignoring air resistance, all objects under free

fall has a …………………. acceleration of
…………….m/s2.

Here is the challenge :

1. Draw the velocity -time graph of the object in free fall ( ignore air resistance).

2. Draw its displacement – time graph of the above.

3. Draw its acceleration – time graph.

 Facts about air resistance

Air resistance is directly proportional to the speed of the object and surface area of
the object.

Fill in the blanks:

In the beginning, when the ball is dropped, the initial velocity of the ball is
………………. So, the air resistance is ……………. ………………. What are the forces acting
on the object initially?

As the object falls, the ………………... increases; air resistance …………. ………………………….
The air resistance acts in the …………………………. direction.

Mark the forces acting on the ball with proper arrows.

What happens to the net force on the ball?

AS the net force …………………………, acceleration also ………………………………..

The air resistance keeps increasing with the speed. At one stage the air resistance
becomes ……………………………………. to the weight of the object. At this stage net force
is ……………………. Acceleration is ………….. ………………. The velocity has reached its
.............................and will not increase further. This maximum velocity is called terminal
velocity. Thereafter the object moves with …………………….…. ……………………
Summary When there is air resistance,

In the beginning a=g=9.81m/s2.

Then acceleration decreases and becomes zero when

the air resistance and weight are equal.

The object attains terminal velocity.

The object is in non -uniform acceleration.

Here is the challenge :

1. Draw the velocity – time graph of object under free fall with air
resistance.

2. Draw the acceleration – time graph of it.

3. What are the factors on which terminal speed depends on?