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jrm2002
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Why is that a paper which is freely falling down takes a longer time to approach the ground than a heavier object say a ball which is freely falling?
Or a 1-foot diameter balloon filled with air...pallidin said:Let's equalize surface area and material air flow resistance perturbations:
Take 2 objects, the first being a 1-foot diameter solid sphere of lead, and the second being a 1-foot solid sphere of balsa wood.
berkeman said:Or a 1-foot diameter balloon filled with air...
jrm2002 said:Why is that a paper which is freely falling down takes a longer time to approach the ground than a heavier object say a ball which is freely falling?
According to the theory of gravity, all objects, regardless of their weight, will fall at the same rate in a vacuum because there is no air resistance pushing against the objects. This means that in the absence of air resistance, the force of gravity is the only force acting on the objects, causing them to accelerate at the same rate.
In the real world, objects of different weights do not fall at the same rate due to the presence of air resistance. Air resistance acts as a force that slows down the fall of objects by pushing against them as they fall through the air. Heavier objects have a larger mass, which means they have more inertia and are less affected by air resistance, allowing them to fall faster.
Air resistance is a force that opposes the motion of objects falling through the air. The amount of air resistance depends on the shape, size, and speed of the falling object. As an object falls, air resistance increases, which means that the object will reach a maximum speed and will not continue to accelerate. This is why objects of different weights fall at different speeds in the real world.
While a paper and a heavier object may have the same mass, the paper has a larger surface area and is less dense than the heavier object. This means that the paper experiences more air resistance as it falls, slowing down its descent. On the other hand, the heavier object has a smaller surface area and is more dense, allowing it to fall faster as it is less affected by air resistance.
In order for objects of different weights to fall at the same rate in the real world, air resistance must be eliminated. This can be achieved by creating a vacuum, where there is no air resistance present. In a vacuum, objects will fall at the same rate regardless of their weight, just like in the theory of gravity. However, in our everyday lives, air resistance cannot be completely eliminated, so objects will continue to fall at different rates based on their weight and other factors.