Question

If you drop a rock and a bowling ball off a cliff, which one will hit the ground first if air resistance IS PRESENT? (1 point)
Responses

The rock, because it's lighter in mass
The rock, because it's lighter in mass

The bowling ball because it's heavier in mass
The bowling ball because it's heavier in mass

They will hit the ground at the same time
They will hit the ground at the same time

Neither will ever reach the ground

Answers

GPT-4o mini
If air resistance is present, the outcome depends on the shapes and sizes of the objects in addition to their masses. In this case, the bowling ball is generally more aerodynamic than the rock, which could allow it to overcome air resistance more effectively.

However, in the presence of air resistance, the object that is lighter in mass (if shaped similarly) will often experience a greater effect from air resistance, which could lead to it falling slower than a heavier object.

Given this information, the correct response would be:

**The bowling ball because it's heavier in mass.**

The bowling ball is likely to hit the ground first due to its greater mass and shape allowing it to overcome air resistance more effectively than the rock.