Question

Newton’s 2nd law states that force is affected by both mass and acceleration (F=ma). We also learned that objects fall on Earth at the same rate. This is the acceleration due to gravity (g = 9.8 m/s²). Use this information to solve the following problems. What is the force of a 13 kg ball that has been dropped and has fallen for 1 second?

A. 127.54 N
B. 129.74 N
C. 133.06 N
D. 135.26 N

Answer 1

The force of a 13 kg ball that has been dropped and has fallen for 1 second can be found by multiplying the mass of the ball by the acceleration due to gravity, which is 9.8 m/s², resulting in a force of 127.4 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

When an object such as a 13 kg ball is dropped, it accelerates toward the center of Earth due to the force of gravity. According to Newton's second law of motion, the net external force acting on an object is equal to the mass (m) of the object multiplied by its acceleration (a), which can be expressed as F=ma. In the case of a freely falling object on Earth, the only force acting on it is its weight due to gravity, and since air resistance is negligible, we can consider the acceleration due to gravity (g) to be 9.8 m/s².

To calculate the force of a 13 kg ball that has been dropped and fallen for 1 second, we use the formula F=ma, where m is the mass of the ball and a is the acceleration due to gravity. Substituting the given values gives us F = 13 kg × 9.8 m/s², which equals 127.4 N.