Kandi is dropping water balloons of different sizes from a rooftop to the ground. All of the water balloons experience the same rate of acceleration toward the ground and travel the same distance.

Question

As she drops water balloons of increasing mass,

A. the force with which they strike the ground increases linearly.

B. the force with which they strike the ground increases exponentially.

C. the velocity at which they strike the ground increases exponentially.

Answer 1

energy at impact=mgh
1/2 mv^2=mgh
v=sqrt(2gh)
now assuming the time of contact with the ground is the same,
impactImpulse=change velocity
Force*timeImpact=change velocity
Force= sqrt(2gh)/timeImpact So None are correct with the identical time assumption. What about assuming the distance each moves into the earth is the same:
energyAsorbtion=final KE
F*distance=1/2 m v^2
Force= mgh/distance. So as mass increases, the force increases linearly with this assumption.

Answer 2

Thank you!