PHYSICS DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF MATHEMATIC & NATURAL SCIENCE STATE UNIVERSITY OF PADANG

WHAT IS FALLING BODIES??

A falling bodies is an object which is falling under the sole influence of gravity. The characteristics about a free falling object: Free falling objects do not encounter air resistance. All free falling objects (on Earth) accelerate downwards at a rate of 9.8 m/s2

GALILLEO GALILLEI The remarkable observation that all free falling objects fall with the same acceleration was first proposed by Galileo Galilei nearly 400 years ago. Acceleration of falling objects is always the same, no matter how light or heavy. Acceleration due to gravity, g = 9.8 m/s2

NEWTON & ARISTOTLE

Newtons Second Law changed the understanding of the affect of gravity on free falling objects. Free falling objects are dropped so that the only force acting upon the object is gravity. Aristotle believed that if 10 kg object and a 1 kg object were dropped that the 10 kg object would fall ten times faster than the 1 kg object because it weighed ten times as much.

Newton explains Aristotles theory that gravity pulls ten times as much on a 10 kg free falling object as a 1 kg object and also Galileos observations that the fall at the same acceleration.

SOME MISCONCEPTIONS Heavier Objects fall faster than light ones People commonly have the misconception that heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones. They have this misconception because that is what they commonly observe. In the real world there is air resistance. With air resistance this misconception is true. Acceleration is the same velocity

Students assuming that two particles with identical velocities (at an instant) have identical accelerations (similarly), two particles with identical positions (at an instant) have identical speeds).

Acceleration experienced by each object in free fall is always the same is equal to gravity. It can be proved mathematically by the following equation : equation becomes:

vy = vyo + gt vy = gt

Through this equation, it is known that the speed of falling bodies heavily influenced by the acceleration of gravity (g) and time (t). Since the g-value fixed (9.8 m/s2), then the equation above, we see that the value of the speed of falling objects is determined by the time (t). Velocity is always changing with time or in other words every unit of time increases the velocity.

The Acceleration of Falling objects Depends Upon its Mass

According to newton's law of gravitation the speed of a falling object does not depend on the mass of an object. All objects fall with an acceleration of gravitation 9.8m/s2. Freely Falling Bodies Can only Move Downward

In kinematic equations, replace the acceleration a with g=9.81m/s2. Use "+g" if the object is moving downward while use "-g " if it is moving upward.

Object being thrown upwards (against gravity)

Object falling due to gravity

g=-

g=+

There is no Gravity in a Vacuum

Objects falling in a vacuum always fall at the same rate. newton law of gravity, it is stated that the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between objects. So, in the space that far though, there is the force of gravity. However, the magnitude of the gravitational force is so small by the distance from the earth. In addition, the influence of other celestial bodies such as stars, other planets, so that the resultant of the forces acting on it is small. Thus, it can be concluded that in space there is the force of gravity

Gravity Only Acts on Things when They are Falling Gravity not only acts on things when they are falling, but gravity also applies to stationery objects and moving object. For example, block is placed on the floor the block has weight which affected by mass and gravity.

w = m.g

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