free fall

Question 1

Does a heavier object fall faster than a light object?

Answer 1

Galileo reasoned that because any number of identical objects must fall at the same rate, then any one such object must fall at the same rate as the rest put together, regardless of their relative weights

Question 2

What is the inclined plane test? What is it significance?

Answer 2

Galileo measured how long it took for a ball to roll down a slope he realised the ball got faster as the slope got steeper therefore he realised that object falling vertically accelerates

Question 3

How can free fall of a ball be investigated?

Answer 3

video clip of the balls flight as it falls vertical metre rule can be used as a scale time of descent and distance fallen can be found

Question 4

How can this be used to measure gravityu?

Answer 4

s = 1/2 a t^2 because ut = 0 this can be applied to y = mx + c therefore 2 x gradient is acceleration

Question 5

With reference to energy - why does the velocity of the diver independent of his mass if air resistance is negligeble?

Answer 5

all GPE is transferred to KE

no GPE transferred top heat

m g Δh = 1/2 mv ²

there fore mass cancels