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Free Fall
Free Fall
time
Velocityfinal= Velocityinitial + at
Velocityfinal= Velocityinitial + at
Velocityfinal= Velocityinitial + at
= 0 m/s +2 m/s² (10 s)
= 20 m/s
Free Fall
Definition- when
an object is
moving solely
(only) under the
influence of
gravity….
Example of gravity
Dropping a ball? Yes
(when we ignore
air resistance)
Ignoring air resistance
On the moon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7db6ZeLR5s
So what is that magical number that
all objects accelerate at?
9.8 m/s²
Finish the definition of free fall
Definition- when an
object is moving
solely (only) under
the influence of
gravity….
Galileo Galilei
(1564-1642)
Galileo is said to have dropped two unequal weights from the top of the
Leaning Tower of Pisa to prove his theory.
Galileo claimed that a naturally falling object would gain equal amounts of
velocity in equal amounts of time.
3 29.4
4 39.2
5 49.0
Gravity
1) Causes free
falling objects to
accelerate at 9.8
m/s² toward the
center of the
earth.
2) The symbol is g
(for acceleration
due to gravity)
Gravity
Positive or
negative?...that’s the
question!
By convention….
+ 9.8 when an object is
falling towards the earth
- 9.8 when an object is
moving away from the
earth
How fast something is moving is very
different from how far
How far does an object
fall in 1 s?
It is 4.9 m….why?
Velocityavg=Vfinal + Vinitial
2
How far will an object drop?
d= ½ gt²
1. vf = vi + gt
2. d = vi t + ½gt 2
½
if velocity is 0 then the equation
3. vf2 = vi2 + 2 gd
Practice Problem
t = 4.95s
vf =48.5m/s
Review
http://onlinephys.com/f
reefall6.gif
http://onlinephys.com/f
reefall5.gif
What’s the story?
Free Fall with Upward Motion
• When something is
thrown straight upward
under the influence of
gravity, and then
returns to the thrower,
this is very symmetrical
= parabola
• Velocity when it
returns to the ground is
the opposite of the
velocity it was thrown
upward with.