Which statement best explains why a paper airplane eventually falls to the ground?(1 point)
Responses
Inertia prevents new forces from acting on the airplane to keep it up.
Inertia prevents new forces from acting on the airplane to keep it up.
The force from throwing the airplane loses strength as the airplane moves.
The force from throwing the airplane loses strength as the airplane moves.
Inertia slows the airplane and pulls it down.
Inertia slows the airplane and pulls it down.
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 unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.
The correct answer is: The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.
To understand why a paper airplane eventually falls to the ground, we need to consider several factors. The first is inertia. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion. In this case, inertia does not prevent new forces from acting on the airplane to keep it up.
The second factor is the force from throwing the airplane. When a paper airplane is thrown, a force is applied to propel it forward and give it upward momentum. However, this force gradually loses strength as the airplane moves. Although this is a valid factor, it does not fully explain why the airplane falls to the ground.
The third factor is inertia again. Inertia alone does not directly pull the airplane down. However, it does play a role in slowing the airplane down. As the airplane moves through the air, the air exerts a frictional force called air resistance. Air resistance acts opposite to the direction of motion and gradually slows the airplane down.
Finally, we come to gravity. Gravity is the force that pulls objects towards the center of the earth. Gravity is always acting on the paper airplane, pulling it downwards. As the airplane slows down due to air resistance, the force of gravity becomes more significant and ultimately overcomes the upward force of air resistance.
Therefore, the correct statement is: The unbalanced forces of air resistance and gravity slow the airplane and pull it down.