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View Full Version : What is the net force on a 1-N apples after you release it from above your head?


Munchies
Dec 10, 2007, 09:00 PM
The question was:
What is the net force on a 1-N apple when you hold it at rest above your head? What is the net force on it after you release it?

Obviously, when you hold it at rest, the net force is 0. x__x

I know this is a pretty simple question, so I'm sorry to bother all of you with it, but I am curious if I got the correct answer. For the net force after I release it, I put that it was 10 N downwards. (N=Newtons) x_x
Um, I got the answer because my book says that when an object is in free fall, the amount of acceleration is that every second, the object gains 10 m/s. Did I do something incorrectly here? Or did I get the right answer from the wrong reason?

Thank you! =]

cool_dude
Dec 11, 2007, 01:18 PM
Well acceleration due to gravity for free fall varies depending where you are obviously. The more precise number is 9.8 but I guess textbooks use 10. You answer is reasonable assuming that air resistance is negligible. To get net force you just add up all the forces acting on the object. Once you let go the only force acting on it will be force of gravity which is 9.81 or in your case 10N ignoring air resistance.