This graph shows an object in free fall. Assume there is no air resistance. What is the only force acting on this object?
a) gravity
b)terminal velocity
c) acceleration
d) mass
Gravity
m g
downward
a) gravity
To determine the only force acting on an object in free fall, we first need to understand the concept of free fall. Free fall occurs when an object is falling solely under the influence of gravity, without any other forces acting upon it.
In the given scenario where there is no air resistance, the answer to the question is option a) gravity. Gravity is the force that pulls objects towards the center of the Earth. In free fall, the object is accelerating downwards solely due to the force of gravity.
If there were other forces present, such as air resistance, then option b) terminal velocity would also be applicable. Terminal velocity is the maximum constant speed reached by an object falling through a fluid, when the drag force equals the gravitational force.
Option c) acceleration is not the only force acting on the object but refers to the rate of change of velocity. In free fall, gravity is the force that causes the acceleration of the object.
Option d) mass is not a force but rather a measure of the amount of matter in an object. Mass plays a role in determining the strength of the gravitational force between objects, but it is not the force itself.