How to Calculate the Speed of an Object Falling Under Gravity?
How can we determine the speed of an object falling under the influence of gravity?
Understanding Velocity of Free Fall
Velocity of free fall refers to the speed at which an object falls under the influence of gravity without any additional forces acting upon it. This velocity can be calculated using the equation of motion for a body falling under gravity.
Equation for Calculating Velocity of Free Fall
The equation for calculating the final velocity of an object falling under gravity is:
v = u - gt
Where:
- v is the final velocity
- u is the initial velocity (assumed to be 0 m/s in case of a dropped object)
- g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s² on Earth)
- t is the time taken for the object to fall
Calculation Example
Let's consider an example where a ball is dropped from the top of a 82-meter-high building, and we want to find its speed after falling for 3.6 seconds:
Given: initial velocity (u) = 0 m/s, acceleration due to gravity (g) = 9.8 m/s², time (t) = 3.6 s
Using the equation of motion for free fall:
v = u - gt
Substitute the values:
v = 0 - 9.8 * 3.6
v = 0 - 35.28 = 35.28 m/s
Therefore, the speed of the ball after falling for 3.6 seconds would be 35.28 m/s.