Understanding the Physics
* Free Fall: When an object is dropped, it falls under the influence of gravity. This is called free fall.
* Acceleration due to Gravity (g): The acceleration due to gravity on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s². This means that the velocity of a falling object increases by 9.8 meters per second every second.
* Initial Velocity (v₀): Since the quarter is dropped, its initial velocity is 0 m/s.
Calculating the Velocity
We can use the following equation:
* v = v₀ + gt
Where:
* v is the final velocity
* v₀ is the initial velocity (0 m/s)
* g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s²)
* t is the time (10 seconds)
Plugging in the values:
* v = 0 + (9.8 m/s²)(10 s)
* v = 98 m/s
Therefore, the velocity of the quarter after 10 seconds is 98 m/s.
Important Note: This calculation assumes no air resistance. In reality, air resistance would slow the quarter down, so the actual velocity would be slightly less than 98 m/s.
