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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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Good morning class! Today we're diving into free fall. Can anyone tell me what happens when an object falls freely?
It falls downwards?
Exactly! And during free fall, it accelerates due to gravity. Do you know what the acceleration due to gravity is?
Is it 9.8 m/s²?
Correct! Think of 'g' as a constant that accelerates the object. Remember, it's the force of gravity pulling objects downward. Let's remember it with the mnemonic: 'G = Go down at 9.8 m/s².' Can you all repeat that?
G = Go down at 9.8 m/s²!
Great! Now let's look at how we calculate things in free fall.
Now, knowing that an object falls freely lets us apply some equations of motion. Can anyone tell me what these equations might look like?
Is it similar to the equations of motion we've learned for other types of motions?
Exactly! We have three main equations we'll use for free fall. The first one is v = gt. What do you think this means?
It's the final velocity after time t?
Correct! As time increases, so does the velocity. Remember, it starts from rest, so u = 0. Now, what about the displacement equation: s = (1/2)gt²?
It's the distance fallen after time t!
Well done! And since the object accelerates, the distance grows faster than linear time, which is why we have the squaring of t. Finally, we also have v² = 2gs, relating velocity to displacement. Can someone summarize why these equations are initiated from a state of free fall?
As we conclude, let's apply our knowledge of free fall in real life. Can you think of any everyday examples of free fall?
Like a dropped ball hitting the ground?
Exactly! Any object released in the air will free fall towards Earth due to gravity. It's important to remember that air resistance can alter this in real-life situations. Can anyone tell me how air resistance affects free fall?
It slows the object down, right?
Yes! Generally, heavier objects fall faster, but with air resistance, lighter ones might float down slowly. Before we finish, what’s the primary takeaway from today?
Free fall is when gravity is the only force acting on an object!
Perfect summary! Now keep those equations handy for when we discuss more complex motions.
When you let it drop, gravity won't stop, nine point eight m/s², it just goes plop!
Imagine a rock dropped from a cliff. It starts at rest, speeds up, and lands below, with g as its guide, on this journey it’ll go!
Remember 'g' for Gravity. It accelerates free fall—Ground to the ground it will quickly crawl!
GGD: Gravity Guides Downward - represents how gravity accelerates falling objects.
Term
What is free fall?
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What is the value of g?
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What does the equation s = (1/2)gt² represent?
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The motion of an object when it is falling solely under the influence of gravity.
The acceleration experienced by an object due to the gravitational force, approximately 9.8 m/s².
The shortest distance from the initial to final position of an object.
The speed of an object at the end of a given time period.
The duration for which the object is in motion.
This section discusses the concepts of free fall and acceleration due to gravity, emphasizing how objects behave when acting solely under gravitational influence.
In this section, we explore the concept of free fall—where an object accelerates downward under the influence of gravity. We learn that this acceleration, denoted as 'g', is approximately 9.8 m/s². Key equations of motion related to free fall are also presented, illustrating how velocity and displacement are calculated during this type of movement.
Free fall refers to the motion of an object falling solely under the influence of gravity, without any other forces acting on it (such as air resistance). In a state of free fall, the only force acting on the object is gravity, which imparts an acceleration termed the acceleration due to gravity, denoted as g. The approximate value of g is 9.8 m/s², indicating that an object will increase its velocity by about 9.8 meters per second for each second it falls.
In free fall scenarios, the following equations are essential:
Understanding free fall is crucial as it lays the groundwork for studying more complex motion under gravity, including projectile motion, and helps explain various phenomena observed in the natural world.