Non-Free-Fall Motion and Newton's Second Law of Motion
Now, the man has been falling for a little while, and he is moving really quickly. Click on the numbers 1 - 4 to view fours images discussing the man now.
At this point, the man has been accelerating downward for quite a while, and he is moving very quickly. Because he is moving quickly, the wind resistance acting on him is relatively large. In fact, the wind resistance acting on the man is almost equal in magnitude to the force due to gravity acting on him, and because the two forces act in opposite directions, they subtract. Thus, the net force acting on the man is VERY SMALL, and according to Newton's Second Law of Motion, the man's acceleration is VERY SMALL.
But, the man still does have an acceleration, albeit small, and his acceleration does point downward (the same direction as he is moving). As a result, he is still speeding up as he falls; he is just not speeding up very quickly.
But, the man still does have an acceleration, albeit small, and his acceleration does point downward (the same direction as he is moving). As a result, he is still speeding up as he falls; he is just not speeding up very quickly.
What Happens When he Speeds Up a Little Bit More?Fill in all the gaps, then press "Check" to check your answers. Use the "Hint" button to get a free letter if an answer is giving you trouble. You can also click on the "[?]" button to get a clue. Note that you will lose points if you ask for hints or clues!
|
|