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Why is it that a light object accelerates at the same speed as a heavier object in free fall?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
A light object has less inertia to overcome and therefore takes less force equal to its weight to get it to move. The amount of force needed to get a heavier object to move is balanced by the increase in its weight.
These facts are true up until acted on by another force such as air resistance.
For example the fastest that a human can fall is 200 mph before it stops speeding up.
A piece of paper reaches its "terminal velocity" quickly while balls continue to speed up for a long time before reaching that speed.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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If an object accelerates in the same direction which it is moving how is it speed affected?
The speed of the object will increase.
If an object accelerates in the same direction in which it's moving how is its speed affected?
The speed of the object will increase.
If an object accelerates in the same direction in which it is moving how is its speed affected?
The speed of the object will increase.
What happen when you apply a force on an object in space?
It accelerates as long as the force is applied, and after that it continues at a uniform speed and direction.
An object in freefall accelerates at a constant rate of velocity?
No. An object in free-fall accelerates at a constant rate of acceleration.Its speed grows at a constant rate.
When an object accelerate what can it do?
When an object accelerates it can change its speed or direction of motion. When it accelerates without changing its direction of motion, it can cover any distance in less time.
When an object accelerates it is only changing speed but not direction?
No.When an object accelerates its velocity is changing.As velocity is defined as speed with direction, its velocity changes ifeither the speed or the direction of travel changes.As its velocity is changing it is technically accelerating (or possibly 'decelerating'if you are an American)
When a light is shined onto an object the particles must temporarily stop as they hit the object before reflecting back to you to be perceived so what force accelerates the light particles?
Newtonian physics. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction - the object pushes back with the same force the light particles had. Since the speed of light cannot change without refraction, it still goes at the same speed.
What happens to the speed of a moving object when it accelerates?
An object is accelerating if any of these things are happening . . .-- its speed is increasing-- its speed is decreasing-- its direction is changing.The object may be accelerating even if its speed isn't changing.Acceleration does not mean "speeding up".
Does a heavier object always have more inertia than a lighter object?
Inertia is "rotary momentum"; an object's ability to continue spinning when a decelerating force is applied.Just as a heavy object takes more effort to stop from the same speed as a light object, so does a heavy object take more effort to stop from turning at the same speed as a light object.So assuming they are turning at the same angular velocity, the heavier one has a larger inertia. Otherwise, remember that inertia is also proportional to angular velocity.
If a body were accelerating at a rate making its mass equal to its normal mass on earth how long would it need to travel before reaching light speed?
It would take infinitely long in both time and space, and require and infinite amount of energy to accelerate any object with mass to the speed of light. In other words, it is impossible to reach the speed of light. Einstein's equations show that as an object approaches the speed of light, it's kinetic energy is converted to mass making it heavier and heavier, require more force and energy to accelerate it. As a result at 99.999999% the speed of light the object would be come so massive that it would require more energy than the universe contains to push it fast enough to be going the speed of light.
Dose a heavier or lighter object have a greater kinetic energy?
Kinetic energy depends on mass, and speed. Since you can't easily change an object's mass, you would basically change its speed.
