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Learn it your way
A short class with Sarah and her students. The other ways are under More.
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Today we are going to talk about free fall. Can anyone tell me what free fall means?
Is it when something falls without anything holding it up?
Exactly! Free fall refers to the motion of an object when gravity is the only force acting on it. How do you think this might differ from other types of motion?
Maybe because it falls straight down? Other objects might move sideways or upward?
Great observation! In free fall, an object moves downwards due to the pull of gravity, accelerating as it descends. This acceleration is known as 'g', approximately 9.8 m/s² on Earth.\nLet's remember that: 'Free fall means no forces but gravity!'
So, if I drop a heavy rock and a light feather, they'll still fall due to gravity?
Yes! Would you believe they're going to hit the ground at the same time?
I thought heavier things fall faster?
That's a common myth! We'll explore that further through some experiments in a bit. But first, remember the meaning: Free fall is solely about the force of gravity!
Let’s get into how acceleration works in free fall. Can anyone tell me what acceleration means?
It's when something speeds up?
Exactly! In the case of free fall, the acceleration is caused by the force of gravity, which pulls everything towards the center of the Earth. Can anyone remember what we denote this acceleration as?
Is it g?
That's right! And it has a value of approximately 9.8 m/s². That means for every second an object is falling, its speed increases by about 9.8 m/s. We can remember it with the phrase, 'g is the gravity gain!'\nCan anyone give me an example of this?
A skydiver falling would gain speed until they deploy their parachute?
Spot on! The skydiver experiences free fall until the parachute opens, reducing their speed. By understanding this, we can calculate the distance fallen using our equations of motion.
Let's conduct an experiment. We'll drop two objects of different weights from the same height. Who wants to help?
I do! What will we drop?
We’ll drop a stone and a piece of paper at the same time. Remember to look closely and see what happens!
I see the stone is falling faster than the paper!
Wait, the paper is wiggling in the air. Isn't that because of air resistance?
Exactly, Student_4! The paper is affected by air resistance, which slows it down. In a vacuum, both the paper and stone would hit the ground simultaneously. So, can someone explain why mass doesn’t affect free fall in a vacuum?
Because gravity pulls equally on all objects regardless of their mass!
Right again! Always remember: in the absence of air resistance, all objects accelerate the same due to gravity.
Free fall means no stall, just gravity's call!
Imagine a feather and a stone in a vacuum; they fall hand in hand as gravity decrees, making all weights equal at last with ease.
Remember 'FAG': Free fall, Acceleration, Gravity.
GAP for g = Acceleration in free fall due to Gravity.
Term
What is free fall?
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Term
What does 'g' indicate?
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The motion of an object falling under the influence of gravity alone, without any other forces acting on it.
The change in velocity of an object per unit time; in free fall, it is caused by gravitational force.
The acceleration due to gravity, approximately 9.8 m/s² near the surface of the Earth.
The force that opposes the motion of an object through air, affecting how quickly it falls.
This section explains the concept of free fall and the effects of gravity on falling objects.
In this section, students learn about free fall as the motion of objects under the influence of gravitational force, which leads to acceleration towards the Earth. Various activities demonstrate that all objects fall at the same rate regardless of their mass, and the section also introduces the calculation of gravitational acceleration, denoted as g.
The concept of free fall refers to the motion of objects falling under the influence of gravity alone, with no other forces acting on them, such as air resistance. When an object is released and falls towards the earth, it accelerates due to the gravitational pull, which is denoted by g and has an approximate value of 9.8 m/s² near the Earth's surface. In this section, activities are provided to visualize the principles of free fall. One notable experiment illustrates that heavy and light objects fall at the same rate, contradicting the common perception of mass influencing fall speed. Students are encouraged to understand how resistance can affect different objects, such as a feather and a stone, emphasizing that mass does not matter when only gravity acts on the object.
Additionally, the section reviews the equations of motion for free-falling objects, allowing students to calculate the distance fallen and final velocities. Understanding these principles prepares students for real-world applications, such as projectiles and understanding gravitational effects in various contexts.