From the top floor of a very high building, a kid drops a ball. Estimate the magnitude of the acceleration of the ball right after its collision with the ground in .
Details and assumptions
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The question said the building is very tall, and that means the ball will reach it's terminal velocity: The air drag (Fa) is proportional to the ball's velocity and directed in the opposite direction. So, when it reach the same magnitude of the gravitational force (Fb), the resultant force on the ball will be Fa-Fb=0. So, the ball will be in a constant velocity (V). When it hits the ground, the velocity will keep it's magnitude (thanks to the perfectly elastic collision), and the ball will go in the opposite direction. The same reversal of direction will happen to the air drag, but obviously the gravitational force won't change. So, the magnitude of the resultant force in the ball will be: F=fa+Fb=2Fb=2 m 9.8=19.6 m, and the acceleration is therefore 1 9 . 6 m / s 2 .