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Very Short Question and Answers - Free fall


Q 1.
What do you mean by free fall?

Ans:

Free fall refers to the motion of an object where it falls under the influence of gravity alone, with no other forces acting on it.

Q 2.
How is free fall related to the Second Law of Motion?

Ans:

Free fall is related to the Second Law of Motion as it demonstrates that the force acting on an object (gravity) causes it to accelerate at a constant rate, which is the essence of the second law (F = ma).

Q 3.
How do you calculate the value of g?

Ans:

The value of g can be calculated using the formula g = F/m, where F is the gravitational force acting on an object and m is the mass of that object.

Q 4.
What is the motion of objects under the influence of gravitational force of the Earth?

Ans:

The motion of objects under the influence of gravitational force of the Earth is characterized by acceleration towards the center of the Earth at a rate of approximately 9.8 m/s², known as the acceleration due to gravity.

Q 5.
What is the acceleration due to gravity?

Ans:

The acceleration due to gravity, denoted as g, is the acceleration experienced by an object in free fall under the influence of Earth's gravitational pull, with a standard value of approximately 9.8 m/s².

Q 6.
What happens to the weight of an object when it is taken from the poles to the equator?

Ans:

The weight of an object decreases when taken from the poles to the equator because the value of g is greater at the poles than at the equator.

Q 7.
Why does a sheet of paper fall slower than one that is crumpled into a ball?

Ans:

A sheet of paper falls slower than a crumpled ball because the larger surface area of the paper encounters more air resistance, while the crumpled ball has a smaller surface area, reducing air resistance.

Q 8.
What is the universal law of gravitation?

Ans:

The universal law of gravitation states that every point mass attracts every other point mass with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.

Q 9.
What are some phenomena explained by the universal law of gravitation?

Ans:

The universal law of gravitation explains phenomena such as the force that binds us to the Earth, the motion of the Moon around the Earth, the motion of planets around the Sun, and the tides caused by the Moon and the Sun.

Q 10.
Why do all objects fall at the same rate in a vacuum?

Ans:

In a vacuum, all objects fall at the same rate because there is no air resistance, allowing gravity to act equally on all masses.

Q 11.
What is the significance of Galileo's experiment with falling objects?

Ans:

Galileo's experiment demonstrated that the time it takes for objects to fall is independent of their mass, showing that all objects fall at the same rate in the absence of air resistance.

Q 12.
What is the value of g at the poles compared to the equator?

Ans:

The value of g is greater at the poles than at the equator due to the Earth's rotation and its oblate spheroid shape.

Q 13.
How does air resistance affect free fall?

Ans:

Air resistance opposes the motion of falling objects, causing them to fall more slowly than they would in a vacuum.

Q 14.
What is the formula for calculating the distance fallen during free fall?

Ans:

The distance fallen during free fall can be calculated using the formula s = ut + 1/2 at², where u is the initial velocity, a is the acceleration due to gravity, and t is the time.

Q 15.
If an object is thrown upwards, when does it reach its maximum height?

Ans:

An object thrown upwards reaches its maximum height when its velocity becomes zero before it starts falling back down.

Q 16.
What factors affect the acceleration due to gravity?

Ans:

The acceleration due to gravity is affected by the mass of the Earth and the distance from the center of the Earth.

Q 17.
Can the value of g change with altitude?

Ans:

Yes, the value of g decreases with increasing altitude because the distance from the center of the Earth increases.

Q 18.
What role does gravity play in the solar system?

Ans:

Gravity is the force that keeps planets in orbit around the Sun and governs the motion of celestial bodies in the solar system.

Q 19.
What is the effect of doubling the mass of two objects on the gravitational force between them?

Ans:

If the masses of both objects are doubled, the gravitational force between them also doubles, according to the universal law of gravitation.

Q 20.
What is the relationship between gravitational force and distance?

Ans:

The gravitational force between two objects decreases as the distance between them increases, following an inverse square relationship.