What is the formula for calculating the final velocity of an object in free fall?
Answers:
The final velocity of an object in free fall can be calculated using the following kinematic equation:
[ v_f = v_i + gt ]
Where:
- ( v_f ) is the final velocity,
- ( v_i ) is the initial velocity (if the object starts from rest, ( v_i = 0 )),
- ( g ) is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately ( 9.81 , \text{m/s}^2 ) near the Earth's surface),
- ( t ) is the time the object has been falling.
If you want to calculate the final velocity when the object falls from a certain height ( h ) (and assuming it starts from rest), you can use the following equation derived from energy conservation principles:
[ v_f = \sqrt{2gh} ]
This equation gives the final velocity just before impact when the object has fallen a distance ( h ).
Remember to keep track of the units—if ( h ) is in meters, then the final velocity will be in meters per second (m/s).