Question

The diagram shows a ball falling towards Earth in a vacuum.

Time (s) 0 v = m/s
1
2
3

4
Why is the distance traveled between seconds 3 and 4 greater than the distance traveled between seconds 1 and 2?
A : the force on a falling object decreases as it falls
B : The object must push the air out of the way as it falls
C : An object falling due to gravity moves faster every second
D : an object slows down as it falls toward Earth

Answer 1

The distance traveled between seconds 3 and 4 is greater than the distance traveled between seconds 1 and 2 because an object falling due to gravity moves faster every second (option C)

Why is this correct?

When an object experiences free fall due to gravity (without considering air resistance), it undergoes a consistent acceleration of about
`\(9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2\)` near the Earth's surface.

As the object falls, it undergoes continuous acceleration, causing its velocity to constantly increase. With each passing second, the object's velocity augments by
`\(9.8 \, \text{m/s}\)`. Consequently, the object's speed at the conclusion of every successive second surpasses its speed at the termination of the prior second.