What is the speed of a falling book dropped from 4.50m?

Thread starter Dino18
Start date Jan 18, 2011
Tags

Book Falling Speed

In summary, the speed of a falling book is affected by factors such as the height from which it is dropped, its weight, and the presence of air resistance. The shape and size of the book also play a role in its falling speed, with larger surface areas and streamlined shapes resulting in slower or faster falls. Air resistance, or drag, slows down the fall of an object, but in the absence of air resistance, all objects would fall at the same rate. As a book falls, its speed increases until it reaches a maximum speed, known as terminal velocity, where the forces of gravity and air resistance are equal. The speed of a falling book can be calculated using a formula, but in real-world scenarios, the calculation becomes more complex

Jan 18, 2011

Dino18

A Physics book, mass unknown, is dropped 4.50m. What speed does the book have just before it hits the ground?

Physics news on Phys.org

Jan 18, 2011

cupid.callin

here v(final) = asked
h = 4.5
a=?
v(initial)= ?

can you tell 2 "?"

Jan 18, 2011

Dino18

initial velocity is 0 and a=?

Jan 18, 2011

cupid.callin

what is a in free fall?

Jan 18, 2011

Dino18

Oh.. 9.8 m/s

Jan 18, 2011

cupid.callin

there you go

now you know which eqn to use?

Jan 18, 2011

Dino18

vf^2=vi^2+2ad

Jan 18, 2011

cupid.callin

very good!

Jan 18, 2011

Dino18

Thx a lot

What factors affect the speed of a falling book?

The speed of a falling book is affected by several factors, including the height from which it is dropped, the book's weight, and the presence of air resistance. The force of gravity also plays a major role in determining the speed of a falling book.

Does the shape or size of the book impact its falling speed?

The shape and size of a book can affect its falling speed to some extent. A book with a larger surface area will experience more air resistance, slowing its fall. Similarly, a book with a streamlined shape will encounter less air resistance and fall faster compared to a book with an irregular shape.

How does air resistance impact the speed of a falling book?

Air resistance, also known as drag, is the force exerted by air on a falling object. As an object moves through the air, it experiences resistance, which slows its fall. The greater the surface area of the object, the more air resistance it experiences, resulting in a slower fall. However, in the absence of air resistance, all objects would fall at the same rate regardless of their weight or shape.

Why does a book reach a maximum speed while falling?

As a book falls, its speed increases due to the force of gravity. However, as it falls faster, the air resistance it encounters also increases, eventually balancing out the force of gravity. This results in the book reaching a maximum speed, known as terminal velocity, where the forces of gravity and air resistance are equal.

How can the speed of a falling book be calculated?

The speed of a falling book can be calculated using the formula v = √(2gh), where v is the velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²), and h is the height from which the book is dropped. This formula assumes that there is no air resistance and the book is falling in a vacuum. In real-world scenarios, the calculation becomes more complex due to the impact of air resistance on the object's fall.