Free Fall Motion

What is Free Fall?

• The motion of an object when gravity is the only

significant force acting on it.

• Air resistance is negligible.

• Constant Acceleration - All objects in Free Fall will accelerate at a constant rate of -9.8m/s2

Constant Acceleration

g – a constant acceleration due to the attractive force of gravity between an object and the Earth

g = -9.8 m/s²

Free Fall Equations:

1. Vfy = Viy + gt

2. Vfy²= Viy²+ 2gdy

3. dy = Viyt + ½ gt²

Case 1 of Free Fall : An object dropped

Initial Velocity (Viy): Zero, no direction (none).

Final Velocity (Vfy): Increases, negative (downward).

Displacement (dy): Increases, negative (downward).

Acceleration (g): Constant, always negative.

Case 2 of Free Fall: An object thrown downwards

Initial Velocity (Viy): Greater than zero (Viy >0), negative (downward).

Displacement (dy): Increasing, negative (moving downward).

Final Velocity (Vfy): Increasing, negative (speeding up downward).

Acceleration (g): Constant, always negative ().

Case 3 of Free Fall Motion: A.) An object thrown upwards

Initial Velocity (Viy): Greater than zero (Viy > 0 m/s), positive (upward).

Final Velocity (Vfy) (before reaching max height): Decreasing, positive (slowing down while moving up).

Final Velocity at Maximum Height (Vfy max): Zero, no direction (none).

Displacement (dy): Decreasing, positive (moving upward but slowing).

Acceleration (g): Constant, always negative (-9.8 m/s²).

Case 3 of Free Fall Motion: B.) An object thrown upwards then falls

Initial Velocity (Viy max) (at maximum height): Viy max = 0 m/s, no direction (none).

Final Velocity (Vfy) (falling from max height): Increasing, negative (speeding up downward).

Final Velocity (Vfy) (back at starting position): -Viy up, negative (same magnitude as initial velocity, but downward).

Displacement (dy): Increasing, negative (moving downward).

Acceleration (g): Constant, always negative (-9.8 m/s²).