Motion of a
Freely
Falling Body
Objectives
► Explain Galileo’s theory of motion and
Newton’s laws of motion.
► Apply all the equation for motion of an
object in free fall.
► To solve problems on free falling bodies
and the acceleration of gravity.
Galileo
►The remarkable
observation that all
free falling objects fall
at the same rate was
first proposed by
Galileo, nearly 400
years ago.
►Galileo conducted experiments using a
ball on an inclined plane to determine the
relationship between the time and
distance traveled.
Galileo
►He found that the distance
depended on the square of
the time and that the
velocity increased as the ball
moved down the incline.
►The relationship was the same
regardless of the mass of the ball
used in the experiment.
Galileo
► The story that Galileo
demonstrated his
findings by dropping two
cannon balls off the
Leaning Tower of Pisa is
just a legend.
► However, if the
experiment had been
attempted, he would
have observed that one
ball hit before the other!
Introduction to Free Fall
► A free-falling object is an object which is
falling under the sole influence of gravity.
► That is to say that any object which is moving
and being acted upon only be the force of
gravity is said to be "in a state of free fall."
► This definition of free fall leads to two
important characteristics about a free-falling
object:
Free-falling objects do not encounter air
resistance.
All free-falling objects (on Earth) accelerate
downwards at a rate of 9.8 m/s/s or
32ft/s/s
Freely Falling Body
► The acceleration of freely falling body is
so important that physicist called it
acceleration due to gravity.
► Denoted by letter g which is equivalent
to 32ft/sec2 or 9.8m/sec2.
► Meaning in the 1st second, a falling body
accelerates from a stationary position to
a velocity of 9.8m/sec2, after 2 seconds,
the velocity is doubled to 19.6m/sec2
after 3 seconds it triples to 29.4m/sec2
Freely Falling Body
► Since accelerating objects are
constantly changing their velocity, you
can say that the distance traveled
divided by the time taken to travel
that distance is not a constant value.
► A falling object for instance usually
accelerates as it falls.
► The fact that the distance which the
object travels every interval of time is
increasing is a sure sign that the ball is
speeding up as it falls downward
A simple rule to bear in mind
► is that all objects (regardless of
their mass) experience the same
acceleration when in a state of
free fall.
► When the only force is gravity,
the acceleration is the same
value for all objects.
► On Earth, this acceleration value
is 9.8 m/s/s that it is given a
special name - the acceleration
of gravity - and a special symbol
- g.
Newton
►Newton's third law
- the law of
interaction states
that for every
action there's an
equal and opposite
reaction.
Newton
► Newton's second law -
the law of
acceleration states
that the acceleration
of an object is directly
related to the net
force and inversely
related to its mass.
Newton’s Law of Acceleration
► Fnet =m*a
►A=F/m
Acceleration depends upon two
factors: force and mass.
► The 10-kg elephant obviously
has more mass (or inertia).
This increased mass has an
inverse effect upon the
elephant's acceleration.
► And thus, the direct effect of
greater force on the 10-kg
elephant is offset by the
inverse effect of the greater
mass of the 10-kg elephant;
and so each object accelerates
at the same rate -
approximately 10 m/s/s.
One Newton is defined as the amount of
force required to give a 1-kg mass an
acceleration of 1 m/s/s.
Complete the table
Net Force Mass Acceleration
(N) (kg) (m/s/s)
1. 10 2 5 m/s/s
2. 20 2 10 m/s/s
3. 20 4 5 m/s/s
4. 10 2 5
5. 10 1 10
Free Fall and the Acceleration of
Gravity
► Free-falling objects are in a state
of acceleration.
► The velocity of a free-falling object
is changing by approximately 10
m/s every second.
► If dropped from a position of rest,
the object will be traveling
approximately 10 m/s at the end
of the first second, approximately
20 m/s at the end of the second
second, approximately 30 m/s at
the end of the third second, etc.
Free Fall and the Acceleration of
Gravity
► The velocity of a free-falling
object which has been
dropped from a position of vf = g t
rest is dependent upon the
time for which it has fallen.
► where g is the
► The formula for
acceleration of
determining the velocity
gravity. An
of a falling object after a
time of t seconds is approximate value
►
for g on Earth is
10 m/s/s; more
exactly, its value
is 9.8 m/s/s.
Example calculations for velocity
►Calculate the ► Solution
► At t=6s
velocity of a free-
► vf = (10 m/s2) (6 s)
falling object
► = 60 m/s
after six, and
eight seconds
► At t=8s
► vf = (10 m/s2) (8 s)
► vf = g t ► = 80 m/s
Velocity of Freely Falling Body
► If you were to observe the
motion of a free-falling object
you would notice that the
object averages a velocity of
► 5 m/s in the first second,
► 15 m/s in the second second,
► 25 m/s in the third second,
► 35 m/s in the fourth second,
etc.
► Our free-falling object would
be accelerating at a constant
rate.
Distance
► The distance which a free-falling
object has fallen from a position
of rest is also dependent upon
the time of fall.
► This distance can be computed
by use of a formula; the
distance fallen after a time of t
seconds is given by the formula.
d = 0.5 g t2
► where g is the acceleration of
gravity
Example calculations for distance
► Example Calculations:
► Calculate the ► At t = 1 s
distance fallen by a ► d = (0.5) (10 m/s2) (1 s)2
free-falling object ► =5m
after one, two and
► At t = 2 s
five seconds ► d = (0.5) (10 m/s2) (2 s)2
► = 20 m
►d = 0.5gt2
► At t = 5 s
► d = (0.5) (10 m/s2) (5 s)2
► = 125 m
Distance
► Given these average velocity
values during each consecutive 1-
second time interval, the object
falls:
► – 5 meters in the first second,
– 15 meters in the second second
(for a total distance of 20 meters),
– 25 meters in the third second
(for a total distance of 45 meters),
– 35 meters in the fourth second
(for a total distance of 80 meters).
d=0.5(10g/s2 )(1s)2
v=0.5(10m/s2 )1s d= 20 -5
Total Distance
Average Velocity Distance
Time Traveled from 0 s
During Time Traveled During
Interval to End of Time
Interval Time Interval
Interval
v=0.5gt d=dt -di d=0.5gt2
0-1s 5 m/s 5m 5m
1-2s 15 m/s 15 m 20 m
2-3s 25 m/s 25 m 45 m
3-4s 35 m/s 35 m 80 m
The table illustrates that a free-falling object
which is accelerating at a constant rate will
cover different distances in each consecutive
second.
Further analysis of the first and last columns of
the table above reveal that there is a square
relationship between the total distance traveled
and the time of travel for an object starting
from rest and moving with a constant
acceleration.
For objects with a constant acceleration, the
distance of travel is directly proportional to the
square of the time of travel.
Equation for motion of an
object in free fall:
d
v d v0t 0.5 gt 2
t
v vo v v 2 gd
2 2
0
g
t v0 v
d t
v vo gt 2
v f gt d 0.5 gt 2
Sample Problem
►A coin was dropped from the top
of the LTA building with a height of
727 ft. If there is no air resistance,
how fast (ft/s) will the coin be
moving when it hits the ground?
►215.68 ft/s
Solution A
d 0.5 gt 2
t 45.44
d 0.5(32 ft / s )t t 6.74
2 2
727 ft 0.5(32 ft / s )t 2 2
(727 ft ) v at
t
2
2
16 ft / s v (32 ft / s )(6.74s )
2
v 215.68 ft / s
Problem 1
►A marble is dropped from a bridge
and strikes the water in 5 seconds.
Calculate the speed with which it
strikes and the height of the bridge.
► (Vf = 49 m/s, d = 122.5 m)
Solution 1
v f gt
v f (9.8m / s )(5s )
2
v f 49m / s
d 0.5 gt 2
d 0.5(9.8m / s )(5s )
2 2
d 122.5m
P2
►A feather is dropped on the moon
from a height of 1.40 meters. The
acceleration of gravity on the
moon is 1.67 m/s2. Determine the
time for the feather to fall to the
surface of the moon.
► T = 1.29 sec
d 0.5gt 2 S2
2
1.40m 0.5(1.67m/s )t 2
2
1.40m ( 0.835m/s )t 2
1.40m 2 Given :
t
0.835m/s 2 v i 0m/s
2 2 d 1.40m
1.68s t
a 1.67m/s 2
2
t 1.68s 1.29s t?
P3
►The observation deck of the World
Trade Center is 420 m above the
street. Determine the time required
for a penny to free fall from the
deck to the street below.
►T = 9.26 sec
S3 d 0.5 gt 2
Given 420m 0.5(9.8m / s )t 2 2
vi 0m / s
420m (4.9m / s )t2 2
d 420m 420m
t 2
g 9.8m / s 4.9m / s 2
2
t ? 85.7 s t
2 2
t 85.7 s 9.26 s
2
P4
►With what speed in miles/hr
(1 m/s = 2.23 mi/hr) must an
object be thrown to reach a height
of 91.5 m (equivalent to one
football field)? Assume negligible
air resistance.
►V = 94.4 mi/hr
P4 v v 2 gd
2
f
2
i
Given : 0m / s 2
v 2(9.8m / s )(91.5m)
2
i
2
g 9.8m / s 0 v 1793m / s
2 2 2 2
i
v f om / s v 1793m s
2
i
2 2
d 91.5m vi 1793m / s 42.3m / s
vi ?
t ? (42.3m / s )(2.23mi / hr )
vi
1m / s
vi 94.4mi / hr
P5
►A 10kg block being held at rest above the
ground is released. The block begins to fall
under only the effect of gravity. At the
instant that the block is 2.0 meters above
the ground, the speed of the block is
2.5m/sec. The block was initially released
at a height of how many meters.
►D = 2.3 m
v v 2 g (d d 0 )
2 2
0
S5 v0 0
d 0 initialheight v 2 g (d d 0 )
2
v0 0
2
v
d d0
2g
d 2m
2
0.5v
v 2.5m / s d0 d
g
m 10kg 2
0.5( 2.5m / s )
g 9.8m / s d0 2m
9.8m / s / s
d 2.3m
Seatwork
► 1. Miguel drops a pile of roof shingles
from the top of a roof located 8.52
meters above the ground. Determine
the time required for the shingles to
reach the ground.
► 2. Brandy throws his mother's crystal
vase vertically upwards with an initial
velocity of 26.2 m/s. Determine the
height to which the vase will rise
above its initial height.
Seatwork
► 3. A kangaroo is capable of jumping to a
height of 2.62 m. Determine the take-off
speed of the kangaroo.
► 4. A stone is dropped into a deep well and
is heard to hit the water 3.41 s after being
dropped. Determine the depth of the well.
► 5. Ronald McDonald is riding an Air
Balloon on his way to Subic. If Ronald
free-falls for 2.6 second, what will be his
final velocity and how far will he fall?
► Prepare for an EXAM next meeting….
► END OF PRESENTATION
► A bowling ball falls
freely (near the
surface of the
Earth) from rest.
How far does it fall
in 4 seconds, and
how fast will it be
going at that time?
► The ball's average speed for the first 4 seconds is the
average of 0 m/s and 40 m/s, its starting and ending
speeds, and distance = average speed times time.
► So the object will have fallen 80 meters, and its
speed will be 40 m/s.
► The position of a free-falling body (neglect air
resistance) under the influence of gravity can be
represented by the function
1 2
s (t ) gt v0t s0
2
where g is the acceleration due to gravity (on
earth ) and s0 and v0 are the initial height and
velocity of the object (when ).
► Example (Falling Object Problem) A ball is
thrown vertically upward from the ground with
an initial velocity of 160 ft/s.
(a) When will it hit the ground?
Solution. Since with and we need
with and we need
This is precisely when or and thus the ball will
hit the ground in 10 seconds.
This illustrates that a free-falling object which is
accelerating at a constant rate will cover
different distances in each consecutiveTotal second.
Distance
Average Velocity Distance Traveled
Further
Time Interval analysis
During of
Timethe first and
During Timelast columns of
Traveled from 0 s
to End of Time
the table above reveal that there is aInterval
Interval Interval square
relationship between the total distance traveled
0 - 1and
s the time
5 m/sof travel for5 m an object 5starting
m
1-2s
from rest and moving
15 m/s 15 m
with a constant
20 m
acceleration.
2-3
For objects25 with m/s 25 m
a constant 45 m
acceleration,
3-4s the distance
35 m/s of travel
35 m is directly
80 m
proportional to the square of the time of
travel.
► As such, if an object travels for twice the time, it will
cover four times (22) the distance; the total distance
traveled after two seconds is four times the total distance
traveled after one second.
► If an object travels for three times the time, then it will
cover nine times (32) the distance; the distance traveled
after three seconds is nine times the distance traveled
after one second.
► Finally, if an object travels for four times the time, then it
will cover sixteen times (42) the distance; the distance
traveled after four seconds is sixteen times the distance
traveled after one second.
