answersLogoWhite

0

No. The speed an object will fall in water depends on: 1) The mass of the object compared to the volume of water displaced 2) The hydrodynamic friction between the water and the objects motion 3) The local gravity. For example: A 10cm sphere of iron has a density of 7.8 and a mass of 4.08kg. The mass of water displaced is 0.52kg. Gravity exerts a downward force of 40.0N downwards on the sphere, while the water exerts an upwards force of 5.1N due to bouyancy. This means that there is an initial downward force of 34.9N downwards on the iron sphere. A 10cm sphere of glass has a density of 2.5 and a mass of 1.31kg. Gravity exerts a downward force of 12.8N downwards on the sphere, while the water exerts the same 5.1N upward bouyancy force. This means that there is an initial downward force of 7.7N downwards on the glass sphere. Both spheres will accelerate in water according to F=ma, where (F) is the force exerted, (m) is the mass and (a) is the acceleration. For the iron sphere, the initial acceleration is 8.6m/s2 while for the glass sphere the initial acceleration is 5.9m/s2. This difference is due to the bouyancy force of the water which is the same for both spheres, even though the masses are different. As the spheres accelerate, the drag force of the water will increase from zero to some value which equals the net gravity force calculated above. The drag coefficient will vary somewhat with the speed but it can be considered the same for both spheres if they are both the same smoothness. Since the forces are different, the steady state speed (terminal velocity) will be different for each sphere. A 10cm sphere of balsa wood has a density of 0.1 and a mass of 0.05kg. Gravity exerts a force of 0.5N downwards while the water exerts the same bouyancy force of 5.1N upwards. Thus the balsa sphere accelerates upwards rather than downwards because the water it displaces is heavier than it and squashes it up. It will have a terminal velocity in the upwards direction. By contrast, in a vacuum, there is no bouyancy force as nothing is being displaced so (F) is proportional to (m) and thus (a) is constant. In this case all the spheres would accelerate at the same speed. In our atmosphere, the bouyancy force of air is very small, so objects may appear to fall at the same rate when in fact they are very slightly different. A hydrogen sphere would rise in air, just like a balsa sphere rises in water.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Physics

What is the terminal velocity of water and how does it impact the motion of objects falling through it?

The terminal velocity of water is the maximum speed at which an object can fall through water due to the resistance of the water. It impacts the motion of objects falling through water by slowing them down until they reach a constant speed where the force of gravity is balanced by the resistance of the water.


How fast do objects fall through air?

The speed at which objects fall through air depends on factors such as the object's weight, shape, and surface area. In a vacuum, all objects fall at the same rate regardless of size or weight. However, in air resistance affects the falling speed, making smaller and more aerodynamic objects fall slower than larger or less aerodynamic objects.


What things fall through?

Contracts, both social and legalDeal NegotiationsPlansLoan ApplicationsMore literally, objects may fall through other objects.Other comparisons include:People fall through cracks (in society's safety net)water (or other liquids) falling through a sievewords fall through people


Does water affect how fast something falls?

Yes, however, even air affects how fast something falls. The weight of the water is what causes buoyancy (certain materials to float), and and the resistance of water plays a small role - the weight of the water being the larger role - in what causes other materials to fall slower than they would through air. There are actually certain things that are buoyant in the air, like helium. You will notice that if you let all the air out of your lungs, you will fall down through the water at a certain (very slow) speed. That speed is your terminal velocity through water. The terminal velocity of an average sized human through the air is about 55.6 m/s (200 kph or 124 mph). This speed is obviously much higher than the speed at which something falls through water. So water does affect haw fast something falls. "But wait, certain objects appear to fall through the water at the same speed that they fall through the air!" To explain this, water affects how fast something falls - compared to how fast it falls through the air - depending on its density. The object which you're talking about, is actually falling slower through the water, you just can't tell. We see this property in air too, why do you think a pound of feathers falls much slower than a lead weight?


Do water allow marble to fall through easily?

No, water does not typically allow marble to fall through easily as the surface tension and density of water can prevent objects from sinking quickly. Marble would likely float on the surface or sink slowly in water.

Related Questions

What is the terminal velocity of water and how does it impact the motion of objects falling through it?

The terminal velocity of water is the maximum speed at which an object can fall through water due to the resistance of the water. It impacts the motion of objects falling through water by slowing them down until they reach a constant speed where the force of gravity is balanced by the resistance of the water.


How fast do objects fall through air?

The speed at which objects fall through air depends on factors such as the object's weight, shape, and surface area. In a vacuum, all objects fall at the same rate regardless of size or weight. However, in air resistance affects the falling speed, making smaller and more aerodynamic objects fall slower than larger or less aerodynamic objects.


Why heavier objects fall faster than do lighter objects?

They don't. All objects fall at the same rate of speed because of weight.


What things fall through?

Contracts, both social and legalDeal NegotiationsPlansLoan ApplicationsMore literally, objects may fall through other objects.Other comparisons include:People fall through cracks (in society's safety net)water (or other liquids) falling through a sievewords fall through people


Does water affect how fast something falls?

Yes, however, even air affects how fast something falls. The weight of the water is what causes buoyancy (certain materials to float), and and the resistance of water plays a small role - the weight of the water being the larger role - in what causes other materials to fall slower than they would through air. There are actually certain things that are buoyant in the air, like helium. You will notice that if you let all the air out of your lungs, you will fall down through the water at a certain (very slow) speed. That speed is your terminal velocity through water. The terminal velocity of an average sized human through the air is about 55.6 m/s (200 kph or 124 mph). This speed is obviously much higher than the speed at which something falls through water. So water does affect haw fast something falls. "But wait, certain objects appear to fall through the water at the same speed that they fall through the air!" To explain this, water affects how fast something falls - compared to how fast it falls through the air - depending on its density. The object which you're talking about, is actually falling slower through the water, you just can't tell. We see this property in air too, why do you think a pound of feathers falls much slower than a lead weight?


What must be absent for two objects of drastically different masses to fall at the exact same speed if they rely only on gravity?

Air resistance must be absent for two objects of drastically different masses to fall at the exact same speed when relying only on gravity. This is because air resistance affects the rate at which objects fall through the atmosphere, causing lighter objects to experience more air resistance than heavier objects.


Do water allow marble to fall through easily?

No, water does not typically allow marble to fall through easily as the surface tension and density of water can prevent objects from sinking quickly. Marble would likely float on the surface or sink slowly in water.


Do solid objects fall with hollow objects at the same speed?

In a vacuum, solid and hollow objects fall at the same speed due to gravity. However, in the presence of air resistance, hollow objects might fall more slowly compared to solid objects of the same mass and shape, as air resistance affects hollow objects differently.


How fast does a sinker fall through water?

The sinking speed of a sinker through water can vary based on factors such as its weight and shape. On average, a sinker can fall at a rate of about 2-5 feet per second in still water. However, this speed can change depending on the size and design of the sinker.


What objects fall at the same speed?

Neglecting air resistance ... all of them.


Does the shape of a ball effect the speed it falls?

Yes, the shape of a ball can affect the speed at which it falls. Objects with a more aerodynamic shape, such as a streamlined sphere, will typically fall faster through the air compared to irregularly shaped objects. The streamlined shape reduces air resistance and allows the ball to fall more quickly.


Why do a feather and a hammer fall at the same speed in a vaccum?

In a vacuum, air resistance is eliminated, and all objects fall due to gravity alone. The acceleration due to gravity is the same for all objects regardless of their mass, so they fall at the same speed in a vacuum.