Which statement best explains why a paper airplane eventually falls to the ground? (1 point)
A. The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.
B. Inertia slows the airplane and pulls it down.
C. The force from throwing the airplane loses strength as the airplane moves.
D. Inertia prevents new forces from acting on the airplane to keep it up.
A. The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.
According to Newton's First Law, what potential impact can an unbalanced force have on an object in motion? (1 point)
A. An unbalanced force can change both the object's direction and speed.
B. An unbalanced force can only change the object's direction.
C. An unbalanced force can only change the object's speed.
D. An unbalanced force will have no impact on an object in motion.
A. An unbalanced force can change both the object's direction and speed.
The correct answer is:
A. The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.
Explanation: When a paper airplane is flying, it experiences two main forces: air resistance and gravity. The force of air resistance opposes the motion of the airplane, slowing it down. At the same time, the force of gravity pulls the airplane downward towards the ground. These two forces together create an unbalanced force that causes the airplane to eventually fall to the ground.
To determine the correct answer, let's examine each statement and analyze its accuracy:
A. The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.
To understand this statement, you need to know that air resistance is the opposing force that acts against the motion of the paper airplane as it moves through the air. Gravity, on the other hand, is the force that pulls objects towards the center of the Earth. Given that the airplane is thrown, it initially overcomes air resistance and gravity, causing it to move through the air. However, over time, the combination of air resistance and gravity acting in opposite directions slows down the airplane's forward motion until it eventually falls to the ground. This statement accurately explains why a paper airplane falls, making it a plausible choice.
B. Inertia slows the airplane and pulls it down.
Inertia refers to an object's resistance to changes in its state of motion. While inertia plays a role in the airplane's flight, it does not directly cause the airplane to fall. Inertia would only come into play when an external force, such as air resistance or gravity, acts on the airplane to gradually slow it down. Therefore, this statement does not completely explain the reason why a paper airplane falls.
C. The force from throwing the airplane loses strength as the airplane moves.
This statement assigns the dropping of the airplane to the diminishing strength of the force used to throw it. While it is true that the initial force used to throw the airplane will gradually dissipate, this alone does not explain why the airplane would fall. Other forces at play, such as air resistance and gravity, contribute to the downward motion of the airplane. Consequently, this statement does not provide a comprehensive explanation.
D. Inertia prevents new forces from acting on the airplane to keep it up.
This statement suggests that the airplane's inertia prevents any new forces from acting on it, causing it to fall. However, inertia does not prevent external forces from acting on objects. In the case of the paper airplane, both air resistance and gravity continue to act upon it, causing its eventual descent. Hence, this statement is not accurate in explaining why the airplane falls.
Based on the analysis, the statement that best explains why a paper airplane eventually falls to the ground is A. The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.