How would I calculate the force of a falling object?

Question

If you assume that the object does not move after impact, and the only force acting on it is gravity, then how would I measure the force using the weight, heigth and time from when it is dropped to when impact occurs?

Answer 1

You have to calculate how fast the object will be going when it lands, then multiply that by the mass of the object. Acceleration due to gravity is 32.2 ft / sec / sec assuming a non-aerodynamic object. At the end of the 1st second, the object will be falling at 32.2 ft / sec. At the end of the 2nd second, it will be falling at 64.4 ft / sec. So forth. If the object falls exactly 2 seconds and has a mass of 5 lbs, the force will be 5 X 64.4 or 322 ft lbs / sec.

Answer 2

the key idea is :



falling object has momentum and energy NOT "force"



we usually say F = MA but more properly it is F = change in momentum

"Impulse" = Total change in momentum = Force times time ( over a very short time usually)



It all depends on the stopping time and distance traveled while stopping, It is impossible to come to a stop in zero time, that would require infinite force



if the force during stopping is very high the material is damaged instead of just being bent for an instant. that is why a bullet does so much damage to flesh

or why air bags protect in accidents



the height and gravity and mass give energy, the laws of acceleration give velocity and momentum



the details of the stopping process allow estimates of force

an easy but not necessarily correct assumption is uniform acceleration and average speed ( initial + final)/2 for stopping time. V initial / t = a



or change in P = impulse = f x t

Answer 3

Force = m*g = mass * acceleration = Weight

WEIGHT is not equal to MASS

MASS - total matter (i.e molecules, atoms particles etc) containd within the body

WEIGHT - total force acting due the mass (total matter) and g (gravitation acc.)



Note if u take 2 objects of diff. mass lets say M and m and if M= 10units and m=100 units

and if u leave (ur jst droppin the objects here not throwin them!!) at the same height both will reach the ground at the same time but only with diff. forces. for eg. if drop a cherry and a pumpkin from a huge tower on2 som1s head from the same height both will ideally hit the persons head at the same time but wit different forces - a pumpkin wud break his neck but he wudn't feel the cherry. :-)

exeperimnt on som1 u hate!! lol

Answer 4

s = ut + 1/2 * at^2



s is the height.



u is the initial speed (zero).



t is the time.



a is the acceleration due to gravity.



You can reorganize it to:



a = (2(s-ut))/(t^2)



to find the acceleration due to gravity.