5.1 Air Resistance and Falling Objects - Concepts

When an object falls with air resistance, both its acceleration and speed change during its motion. When an object falls in a vacuum, there is no air resistance because there is no air in a vacuum.

  1. A rock and a feather are released from rest from the same height with air resistance on.
    Do they hit at the same time? Yes/No (answer shown in blue).

  2. A rock and a feather are released from rest from the same height with air resistance off.
    Do they hit at the same time? Yes/No (answer shown in blue).

  3. A rock and a feather are released from rest from the same height with air resistance on. Determine the time and the speed that each object hits the ground.
    Result:
    Object Time to impact Speed at impact
    Rock 2.5 seconds 7 m/sec
    Feather 25 seconds 0.6 m/sec

  4. Repeat the previous exercise with air resistance off.
    Result:
    Object Time to impact Speed at impact
    Rock 1.6 seconds 15.7 m/sec
    Feather 1.6 seconds 15.7 m/sec

  5. A rock falls fastest when there is no air resistance
    True/False (answer shown in blue).

  6. A feather falls fastest when there is no air resistance
    True/False (answer shown in blue).

  7. Without air resistance, a rock and a feather fall at the same speed
    True/False (answer shown in blue).

  8. With air resistance, a rock and a feather fall at the same speed
    True/False (answer shown in blue).



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