What Would Happen if an Object Fell in a Vacuum?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of an object falling in a vacuum with a gravitational force and the possibility of reaching speeds faster than light. The speaker mentions their background in physics and references a forum discussion on the topic. The conversation also touches on the idea of time dilation and how it affects the perception of acceleration.
  • #1
g0dfreak
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I had a idea while driving, I have some physics background from college but not much.

If an object were to fall in a vacuum with a gravitational force there would be nothing from slowing it down and it would keep accelerating. If you were to drop an bowling ball in a vacuum with a extreme gravitational pull and ALOT of space nothing would stop it and should go faster then light? It would be impossible to replicate but in theory.

Thanks alot
 
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  • #2
I think I asked something similar to this in https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=2555021#post2555021". What you have to remember is that you can accelerate forever, but still never reach the speed of light. If I'm remembering right, the acceleration of the object gets infinitely smaller and smaller to an outside observer, but would remain constant from the perspective of the falling object due to time dilation. Hopefully I'm wording that correctly.
 
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  • #3
To the outside observer, the force on an object traveling near the speed of light ends up mostly as increased mass, rather than increased speed.
 

Related to What Would Happen if an Object Fell in a Vacuum?

1. What is a vacuum?

A vacuum is a space completely devoid of matter, including air and other gases.

2. What would happen to an object if it fell in a vacuum?

If an object fell in a vacuum, it would continue to fall with a constant velocity until it reached the bottom or collided with another object.

3. Would an object fall faster in a vacuum than in air?

Yes, an object would fall faster in a vacuum than in air because there is no air resistance to slow it down.

4. Would an object experience any other effects while falling in a vacuum?

No, an object would not experience any other effects while falling in a vacuum. It would simply continue to fall with a constant velocity.

5. Are there any real-life examples of objects falling in a vacuum?

Yes, objects fall in a vacuum in space, where there is no atmosphere or air resistance. For example, astronauts and space probes experience free fall when in orbit around Earth.

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