Acceleration Due to Gravity Question

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Cursed
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Acceleration Gravity
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the acceleration of an object, specifically a baseball, when thrown straight downward. Participants explore the implications of initial velocity on gravitational acceleration, focusing on the theoretical aspects of free fall and the effects of forces such as thrust.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether the acceleration of a thrown object remains at -9.8 m/s², regardless of its initial velocity.
  • Another participant states that, ignoring aerodynamic drag and assuming proximity to Earth, gravitational acceleration is independent of the object's velocity.
  • A participant agrees with the previous point, asserting that initial velocity does not affect the acceleration of an object in free fall.
  • It is noted that before the object is released, its acceleration may exceed gravitational acceleration, but once it is in free fall, the acceleration is solely due to gravity.
  • One participant emphasizes that in ideal physics, the acceleration due to gravity for free-falling objects should consistently be 9.8 m/s².
  • A clarification is made regarding thrust being considered a force that acts against the mass, with a participant seeking to understand this concept better.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that once an object is in free fall, its acceleration is determined by gravity alone. However, there are differing views on the role of initial velocity and the conditions under which acceleration may differ prior to release.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions regarding aerodynamic drag and the distance from Earth are acknowledged but not fully explored. The discussion does not resolve the implications of initial velocity on acceleration prior to the object leaving the hand.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals interested in the principles of physics related to motion, forces, and gravitational effects, particularly those exploring concepts of free fall and acceleration.

Cursed
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Quick question...

If you were to throw an object (such as a baseball) straight downward, would the acceleration of the object still be -9.8m/s/s?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Ignoring aerodynamic drag, and assuming that the distance from Earth isn't signicantly large, then velcocity doesn't affect the gravitational acceleration.

For a similar example, imagine a rocket in space. It's acceleration is a function of thrust versus mass of the rocket and is also independent of the rockets velocity.
 
Jeff is right, from what I can tell. The initial velocity plays no part in the acceleration of an object in free fall.

Quick question there, Jeff. When you say thrust, are you basically counting it as a 'force' that acts against the mass? I'm relatively new to physics so I'm just trying to understand what I can.
 
Before the object leaves your hand, its acceleration may be higher than gravitational acceleration. But after it comes off your hand, the acceleration is exactly g (not taken air drag into account) because gravity is only force that exerts on.
 
think about it if you throw it straight down its has an initial velocity only. In ideal physics your acceleration due to gravity should be only 9.8m/s on free falling objects.
 
MurdocJensen said:
When you say thrust, are you basically counting it as a 'force' that acts against the mass?
Yes, thrust is simply a force, and doesn't take into account the speed at which the force is applied. Force times speed equals power, for example, force in lbs, times speed in mph, divided by 375 (conversion factor) calculates horsepower.
 

Similar threads

High School Why Is an Object's Weight Equal to the Force of Gravity It Experiences?
  • · Replies 51 ·
2
Replies
51
Views
5K
High School Does acceleration affect impact energy vs constant velocity?
  • · Replies 46 ·
2
Replies
46
Views
4K
High School Does an apple have its own gravity?
  • · Replies 28 ·
Replies
28
Views
2K
Graduate Please Explain Elementary Physics Elevator Question
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
2K
High School Why do objects break? (in the case of a body at rest on a surface)
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
High School Why does a falling object experience constant acceleration due to gravity?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
High School Why do we feel gravitational acceleration from the Earth and not from the Sun?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Undergrad Help Needed with Tracker Physics Program Measuring Acceleration
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
Undergrad Force to accelerate an object downward faster than g
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
High School Acceleration due to gravity question
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K