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Does initial height affect acceleration in physics equation

User Pettys
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Final answer:

In physics, the initial height does not affect acceleration. Acceleration is determined by the force acting on an object, and in cases involving free-falling objects, the force is solely due to gravity.

Step-by-step explanation:

In physics, the initial height does not affect acceleration. Acceleration is determined by the force acting on an object, and in cases involving free-falling objects, the force is solely due to gravity. The acceleration due to gravity is a constant value of approximately 9.8 m/s² (or 32 ft/s²).

Does initial height affect acceleration in physics equations? In most cases, when dealing with objects in free fall, the acceleration due to gravity is a constant negative value, which is -9.8 m/s² or -32 ft/s². This value, denoted as ay for the acceleration in the y-direction, indicates that the acceleration does not depend on the object's initial height. It is only influenced by gravity. Thus, regardless of how high an object starts, if it is in free fall, the acceleration remains at -9.8 m/s². However, if air resistance is not negligible, then the initial height could affect the motion of the falling object and therefore alter the effective acceleration, but in the standard equation v² = v⁰² - 2g(y - y⁰), 'g' remains constant and does not vary with the initial height y⁰.

User Amir Rubin
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