Name: _______________________________________ Section: ___________________ Date: _______

1

Free Fall

1.07 Falling Downward and Falling Upward!

Objective:
Solve free fall problems using the fastest strategy.
Introduction:
An object that is falling may be undergoing free fall or non-free fall. A free fall, similar to the
motion of a falling stone, is subjected to gravitational pull alone. Mass is not an issue in free fall. That
is, when a heavy object and a lighter object are released from the same height at the same time they
surprisingly hit the ground together! The two objects are undergoing free fall and they accelerate due
to gravity at a constant rate of approximately 10m/s in each second of its fall. During free fall, the
objects speed changes at constant rate because the gravity, alone, is pulling it. If other influences (other
forces) affect the fall, then, it is no longer a free fall.
When an object is thrown upward it begins to fall as it moves up. Absurd but its true! The
falling is very evident on the objects decreasing speed as it goes up. Its speed constantly decreases at
the rate of 10m/s in every second until it becomes zero at the topmost of its flight. Falling downward---
not new to you! Falling upward--- not new in physics!
Instruction:
Use a faster strategy to solve each problem. The four kinematics equations you learned
previously may be helpful. Do mental calculations first before scribbling your solutions.

1. An excursionist is riding the Eksciting Drop at Enchanted Kingdom. If he falls for 2.6
seconds, what will be his final velocity and how far will he fall?
2
0
10
2 6
?
. s
d ?
f
i
m
s
v
v
g
t

2
2
0 10 2 6
10 2 6
26
.
.
f i
m
s
m
s
m
s
v v gt
s
s

2
2
2
2
2
1
2
1
0 10 2 6
2
5 6 76
33 8
.
.
.
i
m
s
m
s
d v t gt
s
s
m

2. The observation deck of tall skyscraper is 370 m above the street.
a. Determine the time required for a penny to free fall from the deck to the street
below.
2
10
370
?
d
m
s
g
t
m

2 370
2
74 8 60
10
.
d
t s
g

PHYSICS Falling Downward and Falling Upward! (cont.)

REDG USC-NC 2
b. What is the velocity of the falling penny just before hitting the ground?
2
10
370
?
d
m
s
g
t
m

2
2
2 2 10 370 86
m m
f i
s
s
v v gd m
3. If a salmon swims straight upward in the water fast enough to break through the surface
at a speed of 5 meters per second,
a. how high can it jump above water?
2
10
5
0
d ?
m
s
m
i
s
f
g
v
v

2
2
2
2
2
2 2
5 25
1 25
2
20
2 10
d .
m m
f i
s
s
m
m
s
s
v v
m
g

b. how long will it stay in the air?
2
10
5
0
?
m
s
m
i
s
f
g
v
v
t

5
0 5
10
2 1
.
'
f i
f i
v v gt
v v
t s
g
t t s

4. A building is 50m tall. A jealous lover wishes to drop a tomato from the top of the
building onto the head of his girlfriends suitor. If the suitor walks at a speed of 1.0m/s,
how many meters should the suitor be from the position below the tomato when it is
dropped?
2
10
50
?
m
s
g
d m
t

2 50
2
3 16
10
.
d
t s
g

This means that the tomato will hit the ground in 3.16s. Condition is that by the time the tomato
hits the ground, the girlfriends suitor must be on the exact spot. Considering he walks at 1.0m/s
then,

1 0 3 16 3 16 . . .
m
s
d vt s m