if you drop something off a building, what are two forces acting on it that are equal and oppostie?

Question

the object does not have a parachute, and is accelerating the whole way down

Answer 1

There's nothing tricky about this. The reaction to the "force of the earth on the apple" is naturally, the "force of the apple on the earth." The magnitudes of the forces on the earth and apple are identical, and the earth and apple move toward each other in space. Since the earth is 10^25 more massive than the apple, the acceleration of the earth is

1/1000000000000000000000000000000th

of the acceleration of the apple. Thus, as is quite natural, we often neglect the motion of the earth when studying a falling body.

Answer 2

As you drop the object there are forces at work.
1) gravity - it is always equal and opposite. The amount of force applied to the object is equal and opposite to the amount of force applied to the earth. The object and the Earth are accelerating at each other at the same speed, its just that the object is much easier to move and does all the work.

2) air resistance - the air is resisting the change due to the falling object. The object is slightly slowed, but the air particles are also moved by the same force.

Answer 3

horizontal forces to one side and the other, since the object presumably isn't accelerating in the horizontal direction. However, in the vertical direction the sum of forces is not zero, so that forces are not equal and opposite. Why? Because the falling object is accelerating, by hypothesis. Hence, F = ma > 0.

Answer 4

hmm.. actually, there no forces that are equal and opposite,,,,..

if the object is dropped from a high enough height, it will reach what is know a terminal velocity, if the drag is equal to its weight.. which it might, or might not.

if its a heavy object with little drag, the object will continue to accelerate downward due to gravity..


parachutes, for example reach a terminal velocity, due to the drag , hence they fall at a constant rate, but heavy objects, say a rock, will continue to accelerate untill its hits the ground..

hope that helps..

Answer 5

Acceleration due to gravity and the inertia of the object. (If you omit friction from the air around it).

Answer 6

Gravity and Inertia

Answer 7

gravity and force

Answer 8

weight and air resistance