When we think about free fall, we usually picture something dropping straight down because of gravity. But did you know that how fast something falls can change based on different factors? Let’s look at the important things that affect falling speed.
Gravity is the force that pulls things toward the Earth. On Earth, gravity pulls with a strength of about 9.81 meters per second squared. But this pull can change a little depending on where you are:
Height: If you’re high up, like on a mountain, gravity is a bit weaker.
Location: Areas near the equator feel slightly less gravity than places near the poles due to the shape of the Earth.
Air resistance is also known as drag, and it affects how fast things fall. It’s the force that pushes against an object moving through the air. Here’s how it works:
Shape of the Object: A feather falls slowly because it has a large surface area that catches more air. A rock, with its smaller shape, falls quickly.
Speed of the Object: As something falls faster, the air pushing against it becomes stronger. When the force of air resistance is equal to the force of gravity, the object reaches what we call terminal velocity. This means it stops speeding up and moves at a steady speed.
Not everything falls through air! For example:
Water: If you drop something in water, it falls slower than in air because water is thicker and pushes against the object more.
Vacuum: In a vacuum, where there’s no air, all objects fall at the same speed no matter how heavy they are. This was shown when astronaut David Scott dropped a hammer and a feather on the Moon, and they landed at the same time!
So, to wrap it up, how fast things fall depends mainly on gravitational pull, air resistance, and what they’re falling through. Each of these things can change how quickly an object falls, making free fall an interesting topic to learn about!
When we think about free fall, we usually picture something dropping straight down because of gravity. But did you know that how fast something falls can change based on different factors? Let’s look at the important things that affect falling speed.
Gravity is the force that pulls things toward the Earth. On Earth, gravity pulls with a strength of about 9.81 meters per second squared. But this pull can change a little depending on where you are:
Height: If you’re high up, like on a mountain, gravity is a bit weaker.
Location: Areas near the equator feel slightly less gravity than places near the poles due to the shape of the Earth.
Air resistance is also known as drag, and it affects how fast things fall. It’s the force that pushes against an object moving through the air. Here’s how it works:
Shape of the Object: A feather falls slowly because it has a large surface area that catches more air. A rock, with its smaller shape, falls quickly.
Speed of the Object: As something falls faster, the air pushing against it becomes stronger. When the force of air resistance is equal to the force of gravity, the object reaches what we call terminal velocity. This means it stops speeding up and moves at a steady speed.
Not everything falls through air! For example:
Water: If you drop something in water, it falls slower than in air because water is thicker and pushes against the object more.
Vacuum: In a vacuum, where there’s no air, all objects fall at the same speed no matter how heavy they are. This was shown when astronaut David Scott dropped a hammer and a feather on the Moon, and they landed at the same time!
So, to wrap it up, how fast things fall depends mainly on gravitational pull, air resistance, and what they’re falling through. Each of these things can change how quickly an object falls, making free fall an interesting topic to learn about!