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Phy 121
Your 'cq_1_23.1' report has been received. Scroll down through the document to see any comments I might have inserted, and my final comment at the end.
** CQ_1_23.1_labelMessages **
A wad of paper is dropped from a second-story balcony and falls through still air to the ground.
As it speeds up, what happens to the air resistance it encounters?
answer/question/discussion: ->->->->->->->->->->->-> :
The air resistance will exert a force equal and opposite to the weight.
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What happens to the net force acting on it?
answer/question/discussion: ->->->->->->->->->->->-> :
The net force acted upon it by gravity would theoretically increase indefinitely but in light of air resistance the object will at some point reach a terminal net force. Its also feasible that the net force continues to increase and continues to be counteracted by air resistance until both forces reach a max equilibrium, which I guess you could call terminal kinetic energy. I should clarify that the net force will not change since it is defined by the mass and acceleration which here is constant. The longer a distance the ball falls the more kinetic energy is gained, so now that I think about it, terminal kinetic energy or terminal net force are meaningless quantities since kinetic energy can increase indefinitely, and net force, acceleration, and mass are constant.
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What happens to its acceleration?
answer/question/discussion: ->->->->->->->->->->->-> :
The acceleration of gravity is 9.8m/s^2 and will remain so unless acted upon by air resistance which would decrease the acceleration. If the object is left to free fall with no forces pushing it downward its acceleration should not exceed 9.8m/s^2
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If it dropped from a much higher point, what would happen to the net force and the acceleration?
answer/question/discussion: ->->->->->->->->->->->-> :
The net force is mass * acceleration. If the mass is 1kg the objet cannot exceed a net force of 9.8N. The acceleration may decrease which would decrease the net force on the object, but absent external forces it wont increase.
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&#Very good responses. Let me know if you have questions. &#