Free Fall
Free fall, abbreviated as s, is the motion of an object that is only under the influence of gravity, with no other forces acting on it. In a vacuum or in a situation where air resistance is negligible, all objects near the surface of the Earth will experience the same acceleration due to gravity, regardless of their mass. This acceleration is approximately 9.8 meters per second squared.
When an object is in free fall, its velocity increases over time due to the acceleration caused by gravity. The motion of an object in free fall can be described by the equations of motion derived from classical mechanics. It's important to note that free fall doesn't necessarily mean falling from a great height. Any object in a state of free fall is simply moving under the influence of gravity, whether it's falling from a height, thrown upwards, or simply dropped. In the real world, factors like air resistance can affect the motion of an object in free fall. In the absence of other forces, however, an object in free fall will accelerate at a constant rate due to gravity.
Free Fall formula |
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\( s \;=\; \frac{1}{2} \; g \; t^2 \) (Free Fall) \( g \;=\; 2 \; s \;/\; t^2 \) \( t \;=\; \sqrt{ 2 \; s \;/\; g } \) |
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Symbol | English | Metric |
\( s \) = Free Fall (Speed) | \(ft\;/\;sec\) | \(m\;/\;s\) |
\( g \) = Gravity | \(ft\;/\;sec^2\) | \(m\;/\;s^2\) |
\( t \) = Time | \(sec\) | \(s\) |
Tags: Gravity