Week 4: Free Fall, Inclines, and Projectiles

These flashcards cover key concepts related to free fall, projectile motion, and inclined planes, as discussed in the physics lecture.

What was Galileo's hypothesis about freely falling bodies?

Galileo hypothesized that two objects of different mass fall at the same rate.

What did Galileo reportedly do at the Tower of Pisa?

He dropped two balls of different size and mass to observe them striking the ground simultaneously.

What does the acceleration of a falling object depend on?

It depends on the gravitational field strength at the location where the object is falling.

What is the value of acceleration due to gravity near the Earth's surface?

The magnitude of acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.81 m/s².

In which direction does the acceleration due to gravity act?

It always acts towards the center of the Earth.

What is the expression for the gravitational force acting on an object?

F = G * (m1 * m2) / r², where G is the gravitational constant, m1 is the mass of the Earth, and r is the distance from the center of the Earth.

What kind of motion do freely falling objects undergo?

Freely falling objects undergo non-uniform motion.

How does one analyze projectile motion?

By considering the horizontal and vertical components of motion independently.

What path does a projectile follow when experiencing no horizontal acceleration?

A projectile follows a parabolic path.

What happens if a ball is thrown downwards from a height?

It will take a certain amount of time to hit the ground, depending on its initial velocity and height.

What do you need to consider when solving for the time of flight of a projectile?

You need to consider both the horizontal and vertical motions separately, but they share the same time.

What is the range of a projectile?

The range is the horizontal distance traveled by a projectile.

What is the key relationship for the maximum height of a projectile?

The maximum height can be calculated using the vertical component of the initial velocity and acceleration due to gravity.

How do you determine the total flight time for a projectile launched from a height?

You solve the vertical motion equation considering the initial height and the effects of gravitational acceleration.

What does the angle of inclination change in inclined planes?

It changes the components of gravitational acceleration acting parallel and perpendicular to the plane.

What effect does air resistance have on projectile motion?

Air resistance can significantly alter the range and height of a projectile but is often ignored in basic physics problems.