While Carmen is at the park with her family, she walks up to a wishing well. She throws a penny down the well, and she hears a splash at the bottom. Which of the following best describes what happens as the penny falls?
A)The force of gravity is equal to the air resistance acting on the penny.
B)The magnetic force of the well attracts the penny and causes it to fall even faster.
C) The force of friction acts against air resistance, causing the penny to fall even faster.
D)The force of air resistance acts against gravity, but it is not enough to overcome gravity.
To determine which of the options best describes what happens as the penny falls, we can analyze the forces acting on the penny.
The main force at play when an object falls is gravity. Gravity is a force that pulls objects downward towards the center of the Earth. Therefore, we can eliminate options B and C, as they mention forces other than gravity.
Option D states that the force of air resistance acts against gravity, but it is not enough to overcome it. This statement is correct. When an object falls through the air, it experiences air resistance. Air resistance is the force exerted by air molecules against the motion of an object moving through the air. However, in most cases, the force of air resistance is not enough to completely counteract the force of gravity. Therefore, the object continues to fall.
In contrast, option A states that the force of gravity is equal to the air resistance acting on the penny. This statement is not accurate, as air resistance typically opposes the motion of an object but does not equal the force of gravity.
Thus, the correct answer is option D: The force of air resistance acts against gravity, but it is not enough to overcome gravity.