Why don't heavy objects fall more SLOWLY?

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In summary: The principle of equivalence states that the more massive object will resist acceleration more than the less massive object. However, the more massive object has a greater force acting on it. The two are perfectly balanced so that the effect is that all objects will accelerate at the same rate regardless of their mass.
  • #141
No, the engines are only exerting a force on the ship, not the ball. The ship is not more massive because the ball is there. Only once the ball reaches the other side of the ship will it's mass have to be taken into account in regards to the acceleration.
From the moment the ship takes off it will expend more fuel and accelerate less if a heavy object is on board if this was not the case you could take a mountain on board and use no more fuel than if a marble was there.
What is mass if it is not the resistence to a force applied.
 
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  • #142
Buckleymanor said:
From the moment the ship takes off it will expend more fuel and accelerate less if a heavy object is on board if this was not the case you could take a mountain on board and use no more fuel than if a marble was there.
What is mass if it is not the resistence to a force applied.

Ignore the ship taking off. Focus on the deceleration part. That is where your confusion lies. If the ball is NOT in contact with the ship then the ship cannot exert a force upon it, meaning that it takes no extra energy to decelerate the ship while the ball is not in contact with the ship.
 
  • #143
Drakkith said:
Ignore the ship taking off. Focus on the deceleration part. That is where your confusion lies. If the ball is NOT in contact with the ship then the ship cannot exert a force upon it, meaning that it takes no extra energy to decelerate the ship while the ball is not in contact with the ship.
I agree it won't exert a force on the ball if it is not in contact with it but it will still have to use more energy to decelerate a faster moveing ship, and that depends on which ball was on board when it was first accelerating.
 
  • #144
Buckleymanor said:
I agree it won't exert a force on the ball if it is not in contact with it but it will still have to use more energy to decelerate a faster moveing ship, and that depends on which ball was on board when it was first accelerating.

We are not decelerating to a stop, we are only decelerating until the ball hits the opposite wall. The ship will not take more time to decelerate for either one.
 
  • #145
Buckleymanor said:
I agree it won't exert a force on the ball if it is not in contact with it but it will still have to use more energy to decelerate a faster moveing ship, and that depends on which ball was on board when it was first accelerating.

It appears that your misconception is that the speed relative to the point of take off is relavent to this time interval. Well, it is not. The time interval in question remains the same regardless of what speed the spacecraft has attained relative to the start point and regardless of how much energy it took to achieve that speed.
 
  • #146
Buckleymanor said:
I agree it won't exert a force on the ball if it is not in contact with it but it will still have to use more energy to decelerate a faster moveing ship, and that depends on which ball was on board when it was first accelerating.


[tex]F = ma[/tex]
The accelration only depends on the total force applied and on the mass that is being accelerated. Since there is no force on the ball when not in contact, it will not be accelerated, so the only thing being accelerated is the ship. Since the only thing being accelerated is the ship and the thrusters have the same force in both cases, it will have the same acceleration in both cases until the ball hits the other side.
 
  • #147
TurtleMeister said:
It appears that your misconception is that the speed relative to the point of take off is relavent to this time interval. Well, it is not. The time interval in question remains the same regardless of what speed the spacecraft has attained relative to the start point and regardless of how much energy it took to achieve that speed.

So for a spaceship traveling at allmost lightspeed the time intervall will be the same as craft traveling at 1000Kph.
 
  • #148
Buckleymanor said:
So for a spaceship traveling at allmost lightspeed the time intervall will be the same as craft traveling at 1000Kph.

I think we're talking in the reference frame of the ship(?), in which case it won't matter what velocity it is traveling at relative to the takeoff point. The ship observes the takeoff point as time dilated and length contracted, the takeoff point observes the ship as time dilated and length contracted.
 
  • #149
Buckleymanor said:
So for a spaceship traveling at allmost lightspeed the time intervall will be the same as craft traveling at 1000Kph.

Yes, that is correct (in the reference frame of the spacecraft ).
 
<h2>1. Why do heavy objects fall at the same rate as lighter objects?</h2><p>The rate at which objects fall is determined by the force of gravity acting upon them. This force is constant for all objects, regardless of their weight. Therefore, heavy objects and lighter objects will fall at the same rate.</p><h2>2. Why do feathers and other light objects fall more slowly than heavy objects?</h2><p>Although the force of gravity is the same for all objects, the air resistance acting upon an object can affect its rate of fall. Lighter objects, such as feathers, have a larger surface area and therefore experience more air resistance, causing them to fall more slowly.</p><h2>3. Why do objects fall more slowly in water than in air?</h2><p>The density of the medium an object falls through can also affect its rate of fall. Water is denser than air, so there is more resistance acting upon an object as it falls, causing it to fall more slowly.</p><h2>4. Can heavy objects be made to fall more slowly?</h2><p>Yes, heavy objects can be made to fall more slowly by increasing the air resistance acting upon them. This can be achieved by increasing their surface area or by using a parachute or other object to create drag.</p><h2>5. How does the location on Earth affect the rate at which objects fall?</h2><p>The force of gravity acting upon an object is affected by the distance from the center of the Earth. This means that the rate at which objects fall may vary slightly depending on their location on Earth, but the difference is negligible for most everyday objects.</p>

1. Why do heavy objects fall at the same rate as lighter objects?

The rate at which objects fall is determined by the force of gravity acting upon them. This force is constant for all objects, regardless of their weight. Therefore, heavy objects and lighter objects will fall at the same rate.

2. Why do feathers and other light objects fall more slowly than heavy objects?

Although the force of gravity is the same for all objects, the air resistance acting upon an object can affect its rate of fall. Lighter objects, such as feathers, have a larger surface area and therefore experience more air resistance, causing them to fall more slowly.

3. Why do objects fall more slowly in water than in air?

The density of the medium an object falls through can also affect its rate of fall. Water is denser than air, so there is more resistance acting upon an object as it falls, causing it to fall more slowly.

4. Can heavy objects be made to fall more slowly?

Yes, heavy objects can be made to fall more slowly by increasing the air resistance acting upon them. This can be achieved by increasing their surface area or by using a parachute or other object to create drag.

5. How does the location on Earth affect the rate at which objects fall?

The force of gravity acting upon an object is affected by the distance from the center of the Earth. This means that the rate at which objects fall may vary slightly depending on their location on Earth, but the difference is negligible for most everyday objects.

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