if you dropped a piece of brick and a piece of sponge of identical shape and size........?

Question

.....which will hit the ground first?

.....which will hit the ground first.

I rekon they would be at the same time because gravity accelerates both of them the same.

Answer 1

depends how windy it is.

Answer 2

In the air, the brick will hit the ground first as there is more air resistance to the stone. In a vacuum they will both hit at the same time. According to classical theory. as a thing gets bigger it has more inertia, but the force of gravity on it is stronger. These too things, (marvellously) balance each other out. I leave it to others to supply a general theory of relativity explanation. If the sponge and the brick were tied togther, would they fall faster?

Answer 3

Acceleration due to gravity will be same on both the objects regardless of their weight, size and shape, so in a vaccum with no atmosphere to create ressistance they will both hit the ground exactly at the same time. In real conditions air resistance is the only factor which may cause some difference in timing and even that will have a similar (though not same) effect on both as they are both of same shape and size

Answer 4

Because the sponge has pores that can catch the wind, then depending on how high they are dropped from, the brick will hit first. The reason is that the pores in the sponge and wind resistance will slow the sponge down. In an environment with now air pressure, they will hit at the exact same time.

Answer 5

although they will certainly hit the ground at close to the same time, and the acceleration due to gravity will certainly be the same for both, the effect of air resistance on the two bodies will not be identical if the surface is different

the sponge probably has a more irregular surface (at least on a microscopic level) which will probably increase drag slightly

the effect will not be easily measured in a small drop but would probably be significant for a very long drop

in which case the sponge would hit the ground later

a sponge with a smooth ceramic coating might hit before the brick

air resistance is very difficult to model completely theoretically which is why we have wind tunnels

Answer 6

The brick hits the ground first BECAUSE it's mass can push through the wind resistance more easily than the sponge.

Not only does weight and size factor in, but also density. If you dropped both in an environment devoid of air then both would hit the ground at the same time.

This test was done by one of the astronauts who landed on the moon. One of them dropped a hammer and a feather. In the absence of air, both DID fall to the ground at the same time. And it would ALWAYS do that unless you gave the moon an atmosphere.

Answer 7

It would depend on whether or not the sponge has liquid in it. Since there are several air pockets contained within the sponge, it picks up the flow of air caused by the object falling to the ground, creating an upward resistance against the sponge, making it fall slower. A brick has this effect also, since it's flat side will experience the same resistance, but since it is so dense it won't affect it's velocity adequately enough to slow it down.

Answer 8

The sponge is much less dense than the brick. if they were dropped in a vacuum they would hit the groound at the same time, but because of the low density of the sponge it would probably be affected by the air more. it would probably have a lower terminal velocity and arrive on the ground much later than the brick.

Answer 9

If it is in a vacuum, they will hit the ground at the same time. Air resistance will slow down the sponge because it is less dense than the brick: in air, the brick will hit the ground first.

Answer 10

the brick because of gravity like if u get a sponge n a brick and put it on water the brick would sink first then the sponge would sink

Answer 11

Both are affected by gravity; weight doesn't matter, unless there is a strong wind or something, that would affect the sponge differently from the brick; then the brick would hit first.