What happens to the velocity of an object as it falls if the only force acting on the object is gravity? What happens to the acceleration of the object?
Would the velocity be constant?
Would the acceleration increase downward?
'No' to both of your last two questions.
Velocity increases linearly with time.
Acceleration remains constant downwards.
When an object is falling and the only force acting on it is gravity, its velocity and acceleration will both be affected.
First, let's consider the velocity. As the object falls, its velocity will increase. Gravity is a force that accelerates objects downward, causing them to gain speed. This means that the velocity of the falling object will not be constant. Instead, it will continuously increase as the object falls towards the ground.
Next, let's talk about acceleration. When an object falls, the acceleration due to gravity is constant near the surface of the Earth. The acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 meters per second squared (m/s^2). So, as the object falls, its acceleration will remain constant. It will not increase or decrease, assuming no other forces are acting on the object.
In summary, if the only force acting on an object is gravity as it falls, the velocity of the object will increase continuously, and its acceleration will remain constant.