A. Given three objects with same size and shape, but different masses, when drop

Question

A. Given three objects with same size and shape, but different masses, when dropped, would the heaviest fall the fastest? If so, would this mean that the acceleration due to gravity depends on mass? or could there be another factor involved? B. How long would it take the object to reach the floor if you dropped it from a height of 0.50m? Could you measure this accurately with a stopwatch? B1 What if an object were dropped from a height of 10m? Could you measure this distance accurately with a meter stick? Would he acceleration remain constant?

Explanation / Answer

Air friction has an influence on falling rates of bodies. Two objects that are exactly the same, but for that one is heavier than the other, won't fall at the same rate through air. The heavier one will fall faster, as you have said, because the force created by air friction is the same for both, but because of the greater mass, the heavier object will be subject to less negative acceleration. Recall that F = ma, and this works for negative acceleration due to the force of air resistance. The greater m is, the less a will be.

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