Which statement best explains why a paper airplane eventually falls to the ground?(1 point)
Responses
Inertia slows the airplane and pulls it down.
Inertia slows the airplane and pulls it down.
The force from throwing the airplane loses strength as the airplane moves.
The force from throwing the airplane loses strength as the airplane moves.
The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.
The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.
Inertia prevents new forces from acting on the airplane to keep it up.
The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.
The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.
The statement that best explains why a paper airplane eventually falls to the ground is: "The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down."
To understand this concept, we need to know that there are two significant forces acting on the paper airplane: air resistance and gravity.
Firstly, air resistance is the force exerted by the air on the airplane as it moves through it. When the airplane is thrown, it encounters air resistance, which resists its motion. As the airplane moves forward, the force from throwing it gradually loses strength due to the opposing force of air resistance. This explains why the force from throwing the airplane becomes weaker as it moves.
Secondly, gravity is the force that attracts objects towards the center of the Earth. It pulls the paper airplane downward. This force of gravity is always acting on the airplane, trying to pull it towards the ground.
Since air resistance and gravity are unbalanced forces, the airplane experiences a net force that opposes its motion and eventually slows it down. As the airplane slows down, gravity becomes stronger, and air resistance continues to act upon it. Eventually, the combination of these forces causes the paper airplane to lose momentum and fall to the ground.
Therefore, the correct statement is: "The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down."