Consider drops of water leaking from a water faucet.?

Question

As the drops fall, they

a. remain at a relatively fixed distance from each other
b. get farther apart
c. get closer together

What part of physics explains this happening?

Answer 1

I am afraid the second answer is wrong. The first drop would have experienced the acceleration due to gravity for a longer time than the next drop. Hence its velocity will be greater than that of the second drop. The gap between the drops will increase till they hit the ground. The faucet will not be at such a great height that the terminal velocity will be reached.

Answer 2

Remain at a relatively fixed distance from each other.

This is due to the fact that the force of gravity is acting equally on each drop of water. Acceleration due to gravity is a constant (9.8 m/s/s), so each drop would accelerate at the same rate. Since they each start with the same velocity (0 m/s) they will remain a constant distance away from each other.

Astronauts proved Da Vinci correct when they dropped a feather and a bowling ball on the moon. They both hit the ground at the same time.

Answer 3

The acceleration due to gravity should cause them to speed up as they fall, making them move father apart, but air resistance will eventually prevent them from speeding up any more (called the "terminal velocity").