A 4.7 gram feather falls with a constant speed of 1.4 m/s. What is the force of air resistance on the feather?
To find the force of air resistance on the feather, we need to use the formula:
force of air resistance = mass × acceleration due to gravity
In this case, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s². However, since the feather is falling with a constant velocity, it means that the force of gravity acting on it is balanced by the force of air resistance. Therefore, we can conclude:
force of air resistance = force of gravity
The force of gravity can be calculated using the formula:
force of gravity = mass × acceleration due to gravity
In this case, the mass of the feather is given as 4.7 grams, which is equivalent to 0.0047 kg. Plugging in these values into the formula, we get:
force of gravity = 0.0047 kg × 9.8 m/s²
Now we can calculate the force of air resistance:
force of air resistance = force of gravity
force of air resistance = 0.0047 kg × 9.8 m/s²
Therefore, the force of air resistance on the feather is equal to 0.04606 N (Newton).