Calculating the Distance Covered by a Falling Body During Its First Second

When examining the motion of a falling body, several key principles from physics are involved. This article delves into the distance a freely falling body covers in the first second under the influence of gravity, using the rigorous equations of motion.

Introduction to Free Fall

In the absence of air resistance, an object in free fall behaves according to the laws of physics, with the acceleration due to gravity, g, being a constant 10 m/s2. This article explains how to calculate the distance covered by a falling body during its first second of motion using the equation:

s 0.5 * g * t2

Calculating the Distance for the First Second

For the first second, let's substitute the given values into the equation:

s1 0.5 * 10 * 12

After performing the calculation:

s1 0.5 * 10 * 1 5 meters

Understanding the Concept Through Simplified Calculation

To simplify the calculation for the first second, you can use a more intuitive approach. If the acceleration due to gravity is g 10 m/s2, then after one second, the body falls at a speed of 10 m/s. Thus, the distance covered in the first second can be seen as the product of this speed and the time:

Distance 10 m/s * 1 s 10 meters

However, the actual distance covered is 5 meters. This discrepancy arises due to the acceleration itself, as the object's speed increases exponentially over time, not linearly.

Calculating the Distance for the Second Second

For the second second, we need to calculate the distance covered in the first two seconds and then subtract the distance covered in the first second. Let:

The distance covered during the second second is:

Distance during second second s2 - s1 20 meters - 5 meters 15 meters

Summary

Conclusion

This article has explored the distance covered by a freely falling body during its first second of motion, focusing on the principles of free fall and the equations of motion. Understanding these calculations is crucial for anyone studying physics or related fields, as they provide a fundamental basis for analyzing more complex scenarios involving motion under gravity.