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  • 2.6: Falling Objects

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    Gravity is a force that attracts objects toward the center of the earth, or more generally speaking, massive objects to one another. In the absence of friction or air resistance, all objects fall with the same acceleration toward the center of the earth. This is known as free-fall. The acceleration due to gravity is g=9.80\frac{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{s}^{2}} .

    In reality, air resistance affects the acceleration of falling objects. Air resistance opposes the motion of an object in air, and causes falling lighter objects to accelerate less than heavier objects. This is why a feather falls to earth slower than a heavier object like a brick. If there was no air resistance, a feather and brick would fall to earth with the same acceleration due to gravity.