2.7 Falling Objects

• if air resistance and friction are insignificant, then in a given location all objects fall toward the center of Earth with the same constant acceleration, independent of their mass
• air resistance can cause a lighter object to fall slower than a heavier object of the same size.
• Air resistance and friction opposes the motion of an object through the air
• Free Fall - object falling without air resistance or friction acting upon it
• The force of gravity causes objects to fall toward the center of Earth
• acceleration of free-falling objects is called acceleration due to gravity (due to gravity causing objects to fall)
• acceleration due to gravity is constant in free falling objects
• You can apply kinematic equations to free falling objects
• g = magnitude of acceleration due to gravity
• g is constant on Earth and is equal to about 9.8 m/s^2
• direction of acceleration due to gravity is downwards (since the object is falling)
• acceleration due to gravity defines what we call vertical
• If an object is dropped, the initial velocity is 0
• Free Falling motion is one-dimensional and has constant acceleration of magnitude g
• acceleration = acceleration due to gravity (g)