A nickel and a sheet of paper, which have approximately the same mass, are dropped at the same time from the same height. The nickel will reach the ground first. Which statement best explains this result?(1 point)

Responses

The force of gravity acts more strongly on the sheet of paper than on the nickel.
The force of gravity acts more strongly on the sheet of paper than on the nickel.

The force of gravity acts more strongly on the nickel than on the sheet of paper.
The force of gravity acts more strongly on the nickel than on the sheet of paper.

The force of air resistance acts more strongly on the sheet of paper than on the nickel.
The force of air resistance acts more strongly on the sheet of paper than on the nickel.

The force of air resistance acts more strongly on the nickel than on the sheet of paper.

1 answer

The correct statement that best explains why the nickel reaches the ground first is:

The force of air resistance acts more strongly on the sheet of paper than on the nickel.

This is because the sheet of paper has a larger surface area relative to its mass compared to the nickel, which causes it to experience greater air resistance. As a result, the sheet of paper falls more slowly than the nickel due to this increased drag force.