What will be the velocity v/s time graph of a ball falling from a heig...
As the ball falls down, its velocity increases. This is because of the acceleration due to gravity. Hence the graph looks like a straight line with positive slope. The first equation of motion verifies this.
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What will be the velocity v/s time graph of a ball falling from a heig...
Velocity vs. Time graph of a ball falling from a height before hitting the ground:
To understand the velocity vs. time graph of a ball falling from a height, let's break it down into three main stages:
1. Initial Stage:
At the beginning, when the ball is released from rest, it starts falling due to the force of gravity. In this stage, the ball accelerates downwards with a constant acceleration, which we can assume to be approximately 9.8 m/s^2 near the surface of the Earth. As a result, the velocity of the ball increases with time.
2. Terminal Stage:
As the ball continues to fall, it eventually reaches its maximum velocity, known as the terminal velocity. At this point, the force of gravity pulling the ball downwards is balanced by the air resistance pushing upwards. As a result, the net force acting on the ball becomes zero, and its velocity remains constant. This stage is represented by a horizontal line on the velocity vs. time graph.
3. Final Stage:
When the ball is about to hit the ground, the air resistance becomes negligible compared to the force of gravity. As a result, the ball starts accelerating again with a constant acceleration, but this time in the opposite direction (upwards). The velocity decreases with time until the ball finally hits the ground.
Based on these stages, we can conclude that the velocity vs. time graph of a ball falling from a height before hitting the ground will be a straight line with a positive slope. This is because the velocity continuously increases during the initial stage, remains constant during the terminal stage, and then decreases during the final stage.
It's important to note that the graph is a straight line and not a parabola because the acceleration due to gravity is constant. If the acceleration were changing, the graph would be curved.
In conclusion, the correct answer is option 'A' - a straight line with a positive slope.