Menu

Free Fall for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: fri_fɔl

What does Free Fall really mean?

52 1
52
Hey there! So, when we talk about "free fall," we're actually referring to a concept in physics, but don't worry, it's not as complicated as it may sound. Imagine you're standing at the top of a really tall building and you decide to drop something, like a pencil, from your hand. What do you think will happen? Will it just go straight down? Well, that's exactly what free fall is all about!

In physics, free fall is when an object, like that pencil, falls under the influence of gravity alone. This means that there are no other forces acting on it, like air resistance or someone pushing it. So, when you drop that pencil, it will start to accelerate downwards, getting faster and faster as it falls. And if there were no air resistance, it would keep on accelerating until it hits the ground. That's free fall!

Now, it's important to note that free fall can happen not only on Earth but also in space. In fact, the astronauts in space experience a kind of free fall when they're orbiting around the Earth. They basically float around because the spacecraft they're in is constantly falling towards the Earth, but they're also moving sideways at such a high speed that they keep missing it. Pretty cool, right?

So, to sum it up, free fall is when an object only experiences the force of gravity and falls straight down without any other forces acting on it. It's like dropping something from a height and watching it accelerate towards the ground without interference. Whether it's a pencil falling from a building or astronauts floating in space, they're all in free fall.

Revised and Fact checked by Nicole Thomas on 2023-11-06 05:25:14

Free Fall In a sentece

Learn how to use Free Fall inside a sentece

  • When a feather falls from the sky without any obstacles or forces acting on it, it is in free fall.
  • If you were to drop a ball from the top of a tall building, it would experience free fall until it reaches the ground.
  • When an astronaut is in space and there is no gravity, they can experience free fall because they are not affected by any force.
  • When you jump off a diving board and are briefly suspended in the air before gravity pulls you back down, you are in free fall.
  • When a skydiver jumps out of an airplane and starts to descend, they enter into free fall until they open their parachute.

Free Fall Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Free Fall Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.

Free Fall Hyponyms

Words that are more specific than the original word.