Preview - Ap Physics 1 Mechanics

Free Fall Model with Air Resistance

 

Questions

Please answer the questions below.

Press "Set up" and "Go" to run the simulation. Make sure the balls have different masses. What do you see happening? Does this make sense- why? Think about the upward and downward driving forces.

After you have run the program, which two graphs are similar? Why must this be so?

Record the terminal velocity of 2 balls of different mass. Which one reaches terminal velocity in a shorter amount of time? Why? Think about question 1.1.

Write down Newton's 2nd law for the turtle when it has achieved terminal velocity. Fnet = ma!

Sketch both forces on a ball as it is moving down before terminal velocity and after it reaches terminal velocity. Draw the vectors to scale as best as you can. Draw the net force vector in each case.

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below

Consider a ball initially thrown up with air resistance. Sketch the force of gravity, air resistance, and velocity vectors on the ball as it is ascending. What is different in this case?

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below

Notes

These notes will appear on every page in this lesson so feel free to put anything here you'd like to keep track of.