Free fall
Do light and heavy objects hit the ground at the same time?
Released from rest with air resistance ignored, an object is acted on by gravity alone and accelerates at g. Mass does not change the fall time; during the fall, gravitational potential energy turns into kinetic energy and the mechanical energy stays constant.
Remaining height vs. time
Think about it
If 0.1 kg and 5 kg objects are released from the same height, which one lands first?
In the ideal model without air resistance, they land at the same time. The fall time t = √(2h/g) does not depend on mass. In real life, the difference between a feather and a stone comes mainly from air resistance.
Model assumptionsReleased from rest · no air resistance · constant gravitational acceleration · replays after landing · zero PE at ground level
Data log
Set the parameters and click “Record data”. Record several rows with different parameters to plot their relationship and fit a straight line; pause and record at different times to study how a reading changes with time.