A 3 kg ball is dropped from the top of a cliff. At the same time, a 9 kg ball is fired straight down from the top of the cliff. Ignoring air resistance, what can we say about their accelerations after being released?
To determine the accelerations of the 3 kg and 9 kg balls after being released, we can use the principles of free fall motion.
In the absence of air resistance, all objects near the surface of the Earth experience a constant acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.8 m/s². This acceleration is directed downward towards the center of the Earth.
Since gravity affects all objects equally regardless of their mass, both the 3 kg and 9 kg balls will experience the same acceleration of 9.8 m/s² after being released.
Therefore, we can say that their accelerations after being released will be the same: 9.8 m/s² downward.