Understanding the Physics
* Free Fall: An object in free fall experiences only the force of gravity. We assume no air resistance in this calculation.
* Acceleration due to Gravity: On Earth, the acceleration due to gravity (g) is approximately 9.8 m/s². This means the object's speed increases by 9.8 meters per second every second it falls.
Calculations
1. Convert Mass to Kilograms: Since we're using metric units, convert grams to kilograms: 100 g = 0.1 kg. (Note: Mass is not directly used in calculating the final speed in this case).
2. Apply the Formula: The relevant formula for calculating final velocity (v) in free fall is:
v = u + at
Where:
* v = final velocity (what we want to find)
* u = initial velocity (we assume the object starts from rest, so u = 0)
* a = acceleration due to gravity (g = 9.8 m/s²)
* t = time (4 seconds)
3. Plug in the Values:
v = 0 + (9.8 m/s²) * (4 s)
v = 39.2 m/s
Answer: The speed of the object after falling for 4 seconds is 39.2 meters per second.
