Question

An object that is thrown straight up falls back to Earth. This is one-dimensional motion. (a) When is its velocity zero? (b) Does its velocity change direction? (c) Does the acceleration due to gravity have the same sign on the way up as on the way down?

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

(a) The velocity of object is zero when it is at maximum height.

(b) The direction of velocity changes as it starts moving downwards after it reaches the maximum height.

(c) Acceleration due to gravity always acts downwards so its sign remains same.

Answer 2

Answer:

a) The velocity is zero when the object is at the highest vertical point (peak). b) Yes, at the peak, the velocity for an instant gets to zero and then the direction of motion and the velocity will be downwards.

C) No, the direction of ‘g’ will be opposite in direction when the object is on the way down when compared to what it was during the upward motion.

Explanation:

a) Since gravity is acting on the object and trying to pull it down to earth, the ball will slow down to a velocity of zero when the ball starts its free fall downward.

b) When the direction of the object changes, its velocity will also change direction.

c) When the ball has a positive velocity, gravity is pulling it in the opposite direction, so it has a negative acceleration trying to slow it down. When the ball's velocity is negative (downward free fall), the acceleration will be positive at the instant when the ball hits the ground. The only way to stop the ball from falling is a positive force upward, which results in a positive acceleration when the ball hits the ground.

Hope this helps :)