Freefall Conceptual Questions

Which statement best describes a free-falling object?

• It is an object that is under the sole influence of gravity.

• It is an object that is falling with a terminal velocity.

• It is any object that is having a skydiving-like experience.

• It is a person that is excused from paying their gravity bill.

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NGSS.HS-PS2-4

One can be certain that an object is undergoing free fall if they observe that _____.

• it is falling

• it is falling with an acceleration of 9.8 m/s2

• it is falling fast

• it is falling

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NGSS.HS-PS2-4

Which one of the following objects would free fall to the ground with the smallest acceleration?

• A 2-kg brick

• A 5 kg bowling ball

• A 50-kg student

• They all free fall with the same acceleration.

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NGSS.HS-PS2-1

Which one of the following variables would affect the acceleration of a free falling object?

• The speed with which the object is initially projected.

• The time that the object has been free falling.

• The mass of the object.

• None of these variables would affect the free fall acceleration of an object.

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NGSS.HS-PS2-1

How does the free fall acceleration of a ball dropped from rest compare to the free fall acceleration of a ball that is thrown downward?

• The ball dropped from rest will have the smaller free fall acceleration.

• The two balls will have the same free fall acceleration.

• The ball dropped from rest will have the greater free fall acceleration.

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NGSS.HS-PS2-1

A ball is dropped from the ceiling and free falls to the floor. Which one of the following statements regarding the ball’s motion is correct?

• The ball changes its position by the same amount each second that it falls.

• The position change of the ball during any second is greater than it was during the previous second.

• The position change during each second becomes less and less as it approaches the ground.

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NGSS.HS-PS2-1

As we have learned, the quantity that we call acceleration is a vector; it has a magnitude and a direction. Which statement describes the acceleration of a free falling object?

• The acceleration is a constant value; its direction is changing.

• The acceleration has a changing value; its direction is constant.

• The acceleration has a changing value and a changing direction.

• The acceleration has both a constant value and a constant direction.

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NGSS.HS-PS2-1

Which statement describes how the velocity of an object changes as it free falls through air?

• The velocity remains constant.

• The velocity changes by a varying amount each consecutive second.

• The velocity changes by the same amount each consecutive second.

A ball that is thrown upwards from the ground will eventually reach its highest point and fall back to the ground. Which of the following quantities will be constant over the course of this up and down motion?

• The ball's position.

• The ball's speed.

• The ball's acceleration.

A ball that is thrown upwards from the ground will eventually reach its highest point (the peak) and fall back to the ground. It takes 4.0 seconds for the ball to reach its highest point. How much time does it take the ball to fall from its peak to the ground? Assume a free fall motion.

• 2.0 seconds

• 8.0 seconds

• 4.0 seconds

• 9.8 seconds