Why?
2007-07-21 04:37:44 · 8 answers · asked by Gama 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
A freely falling body is one in which there should be no other acceleration except due to gravity.
In the case of parachute, the air’s up thrust gives an upward acceleration.
Hence this is not a freely falling object.
2007-07-21 04:57:52 · answer #1 · answered by Pearlsawme 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not if the chute is open. Free-fall is defined as:
2. descend with unopened parachute: to descend through the air with an unopened parachute during the first part of a parachute jump [See source.]
However, free-fall has more general meaning than one wrt a parachute. A missile re-entry vehicle (RV) is in free-fall as it heads back to Earth. That follows because only gravity and the drag friction caused by the RV itself are acting on the body. In fact, if the body is falling in a vacuum, like on the Moon, only gravity is acting on it. And that's the more general use of the term.
A body in free-fall is acted on by only the pull of gravity and drag force stemming solely from the body's own characteristics (e.g., there is no parachute induced drag force). Also, there is minimal if any lift force on a free-falling body (e.g., no control vanes or wings). In general, a free-falling body is not in a controlled fall.
2007-07-21 05:09:35 · answer #2 · answered by oldprof 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, since the parachute offers some friction to the fall. If the person was falling in space without air, it would be a free fall. Even air offers enough resistance and the man reaches a terminal velocity.
2007-07-21 04:48:56 · answer #3 · answered by Swamy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. The parachute will provide air resistance which acts as an upward force.
Free fall is when only gravitational force is the only force that pulls the person downwards.
2007-07-21 05:13:15 · answer #4 · answered by Sammuelz_101 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A body is in free-fall experiences a net force only due to gravity. A person experiencing the additional drag force from a parachute, therefore, is not in free-fall.
2007-07-21 04:43:07 · answer #5 · answered by MooseBoys 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If the chute is open, then the speed has been lowered,and is no longer falling free, ie: unrestricted.. If the chute is not yet open then that is a free fall. If they jump without a chute then it is their last free fall
2007-07-21 04:43:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, until the chute is opened.
2007-07-21 06:35:19 · answer #7 · answered by johnandeileen2000 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the person is in a vacuum then yes.
2007-07-21 05:07:45 · answer #8 · answered by juniorboy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋