Question

which object would be considered to be in free fall?
o one that experiences both friction and centripetal force
o one that is truly weightless
o one that is slowed down by air resistance
o one with only gravity acting upon it

Explanation:

• An object in free - fall is defined as an object where the only force acting on it is gravity.
• If there is friction or air resistance, these are additional non - gravitational forces, so the object is not in free - fall.
• Weightlessness in the context of free - fall is a perception due to the lack of a normal force (since the only force is gravity), but the object still has mass and is affected by gravity.
• Centripetal force is a different type of force (related to circular motion) and having it along with other forces (like friction) means the object is not in free - fall.

Answer:

one with only gravity acting upon it