Air resistance causes both objects to fall at the same rate.

Air resistance causes both objects to fall at the same rate.

Drag causes both objects to fall at the same rate.
Drag causes both objects to fall at the same rate.

Velocity causes both objects to fall at the same rate.
Velocity causes both objects to fall at the same rate.

Earth’s gravity causes both objects to fall at the same rate

1 answer

The statements you provided about falling objects seem to refer to the influence of various forces and factors. Let’s break them down:

  1. Air Resistance: Air resistance, or drag, can affect the motion of falling objects. However, it does not cause both objects to fall at the same rate unless they have the same shape and mass. In a vacuum, where there is no air resistance, all objects fall at the same rate regardless of their mass.

  2. Drag: As mentioned, drag is a form of air resistance. It can cause objects with different shapes and masses to fall at different rates. For example, a feather and a rock will fall at different rates in air due to drag, but if in a vacuum, they would fall at the same rate.

  3. Velocity: This term refers to the speed of an object in a specified direction. Velocity itself does not cause objects to fall at the same rate. The rate of falling is determined by gravity and, in the case of significant air resistance, the effects of drag.

  4. Earth’s Gravity: This is the primary force acting on objects that causes them to fall. In the absence of air resistance, all objects fall at the same acceleration due to Earth's gravity (approximately \(9.81 , m/s^2\)). This means that two objects in free fall will accelerate at the same rate regardless of their mass.

In summary, while Earth's gravity causes objects to fall at the same rate in a vacuum, air resistance and drag affect their falling behavior in an atmosphere, often leading to different rates of descent depending on the object's properties.