65.0k views
5 votes
An object is dropped from the top of the Empire State Building. Which of the following statements best describes the motion of the object as it experiences air resistance during its downward fall?

User Yasin
by
7.4k points

1 Answer

1 vote

Final answer:

The correct description of an object's motion while experiencing air resistance is that it falls slower as the air resistance, which acts opposite to the motion, increases with surface area. Air resistance opposes gravity, and objects with more surface area are affected more.

Step-by-step explanation:

When analyzing the motion of an object dropped from a height, such as the Empire State Building, air resistance plays a significant role. The correct statement that describes this motion is: Some objects fall faster because of air resistance, which acts in the direction opposite the motion of the object and exerts more force on objects with more surface area.

Air resistance is a type of friction that occurs between the surface of a falling object and the air through which it moves. As an object accelerates downward due to gravity, the air resistance increases. This resistance force opposes the motion of the object. Eventually, the object reaches a terminal velocity where the force of gravity is balanced by the force of air resistance, and the object falls at a constant speed.

Objects with more surface area experience greater air resistance, which can cause them to fall slower than objects with less surface area. However, it's important to note that if two objects have different weights but the same surface area, the heavier object will typically fall faster because it has more gravitational force pulling it downward, overcoming the air resistance more effectively.

User Lin Du
by
8.0k points

No related questions found