Question

Suppose that a passenger intent on lunch during his first ride in a hot-air balloon accidently drops an apple over the side during the balloon’s liftoff. At the moment of the apple’s release, the balloon is accelerating upward with a magnitude of 4.0 m/s2 and has an upward velocity of magnitude 2 m/s. What is the magnitude of the acceleration of the apple just after it is released?

Answer 1

The magnitude of the acceleration of the apple just after it is released would be 9.8 m/sec^2. The reason being that gravity would be the only force acting on the apple and the acceleration of the balloon would be totally unimportant. I hope that this is the answer that has actually come to your help.