Understanding the Physics
* Free Fall: The object is in free fall, meaning the only force acting on it is gravity.
* Acceleration due to Gravity: 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.
* Initial Velocity: The object starts from rest, so its initial velocity (v₀) is 0 m/s.
The Equation
We can use the following kinematic equation to find the time (t):
d = v₀t + (1/2)gt²
Where:
* d = distance (100 m)
* v₀ = initial velocity (0 m/s)
* g = acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²)
* t = time (what we want to find)
Solving for Time
1. Plug in the values:
100 = (0)t + (1/2)(9.8)t²
2. Simplify:
100 = 4.9t²
3. Solve for t²:
t² = 100 / 4.9 ≈ 20.41
4. Take the square root of both sides:
t ≈ √20.41 ≈ 4.52 seconds
Therefore, it will take approximately 4.52 seconds for the object to hit the ground.
